MU2 pilot has altitude deviation and enters class D airspace prior to landing at geu.

Attributes
ACN	698108
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gyr.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : luf.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	MU-2B 60 Marquise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : gyr.tower
Make Model Name	Gates Learjet Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 415
ASRS Report	698108
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Glendale issued a direct geu and descend to 5000 ft. Handed to luke approach told to 'descend to 3000 ft and cross goodyear at or above 2500 ft because of targets at goodyear.' started my descent and approximately 15 mi from geu; luke approach issued 'clear for visual approach; geu maintain 2500 ft till goodyear contact geu tower 121.0 after crossing over goodyear' and started my descent and contacted geu; reported 8 mi south landing geu. Geu issued 'cleared to land runway 1.' approximately 15 seconds later; geu called and asked what my assigned altitude was. I said 2500 ft till goodyear; my altitude was 2289 ft descending. Geu said I was not to descend till goodyear. I acknowledged that and told them goodyear was behind me! Geu told to climb back to 2500 ft. I stated that goodyear was behind me. He then said 'cleared to land again runway 1.' upon my landing roll and turning off at A7 and contacting geu ground 118.0; upon contacting geu was told to taxi to park monitor ground and to call goodyear tower. After parking and shutting down; called goodyear tower; spoke with tower controller. She asked what my assigned altitude was. I stated 'maintain 2500 ft till goodyear; cleared visual approach runway 1 geu from luke approach.' she asked 'they didn't say 'maintain 2500 ft until through the delta airspace goodyear?' I said 'no ma'am.' I said 'there is a large difference in maintain 2500 ft till goodyear and maintain 2500 ft till through the delta airspace of goodyear. She then said 'well; they were supposed to say 'till through delta airspace' which would have been in another 2 mi because I had a learjet on base; I had to turn because of your descent.' I apologized again but again re-stated my clearance from luke. She said ok and hung up. My question is this: why would luke hand me off 'cleared for the visual' and not 'call' the traffic in front of me and again state 'maintain 2500 ft till through delta airspace?'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MU2 PLT HAS ALTDEV AND ENTERS CLASS D AIRSPACE PRIOR TO LNDG AT GEU.

Narrative: GLENDALE ISSUED A DIRECT GEU AND DSND TO 5000 FT. HANDED TO LUKE APCH TOLD TO 'DSND TO 3000 FT AND CROSS GOODYEAR AT OR ABOVE 2500 FT BECAUSE OF TARGETS AT GOODYEAR.' STARTED MY DSCNT AND APPROX 15 MI FROM GEU; LUKE APCH ISSUED 'CLR FOR VISUAL APCH; GEU MAINTAIN 2500 FT TILL GOODYEAR CONTACT GEU TWR 121.0 AFTER XING OVER GOODYEAR' AND STARTED MY DSCNT AND CONTACTED GEU; RPTED 8 MI S LNDG GEU. GEU ISSUED 'CLRED TO LAND RWY 1.' APPROX 15 SECONDS LATER; GEU CALLED AND ASKED WHAT MY ASSIGNED ALT WAS. I SAID 2500 FT TILL GOODYEAR; MY ALT WAS 2289 FT DSNDING. GEU SAID I WAS NOT TO DSND TILL GOODYEAR. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AND TOLD THEM GOODYEAR WAS BEHIND ME! GEU TOLD TO CLB BACK TO 2500 FT. I STATED THAT GOODYEAR WAS BEHIND ME. HE THEN SAID 'CLRED TO LAND AGAIN RWY 1.' UPON MY LNDG ROLL AND TURNING OFF AT A7 AND CONTACTING GEU GND 118.0; UPON CONTACTING GEU WAS TOLD TO TAXI TO PARK MONITOR GND AND TO CALL GOODYEAR TWR. AFTER PARKING AND SHUTTING DOWN; CALLED GOODYEAR TWR; SPOKE WITH TWR CTLR. SHE ASKED WHAT MY ASSIGNED ALT WAS. I STATED 'MAINTAIN 2500 FT TILL GOODYEAR; CLRED VISUAL APCH RWY 1 GEU FROM LUKE APCH.' SHE ASKED 'THEY DIDN'T SAY 'MAINTAIN 2500 FT UNTIL THROUGH THE DELTA AIRSPACE GOODYEAR?' I SAID 'NO MA'AM.' I SAID 'THERE IS A LARGE DIFFERENCE IN MAINTAIN 2500 FT TILL GOODYEAR AND MAINTAIN 2500 FT TILL THROUGH THE DELTA AIRSPACE OF GOODYEAR. SHE THEN SAID 'WELL; THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO SAY 'TILL THROUGH DELTA AIRSPACE' WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN IN ANOTHER 2 MI BECAUSE I HAD A LEARJET ON BASE; I HAD TO TURN BECAUSE OF YOUR DSCNT.' I APOLOGIZED AGAIN BUT AGAIN RE-STATED MY CLRNC FROM LUKE. SHE SAID OK AND HUNG UP. MY QUESTION IS THIS: WHY WOULD LUKE HAND ME OFF 'CLRED FOR THE VISUAL' AND NOT 'CALL' THE TFC IN FRONT OF ME AND AGAIN STATE 'MAINTAIN 2500 FT TILL THROUGH DELTA AIRSPACE?'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.