Narrative:

Usual frantic scene at dfw as many aircraft arrive at same time. We had been slowed, vectored and stair stepped in descent. When vectored off the acton 9 arrival, we were cleared to 9000, 8000, 7000, 6000, 5000, 4000 and 3000' in steps. After clearance to 3000', we were vectored for spacing and put on a 90 degree heading to final intercept to ILS 36L to about 15-18 DME out. As we approached this point, we discussed (in the cockpit only) that minimum sector altitude here was 3500' and we did not like 3000' this far out, but we had the radio towers in sight (aimed square at them) and planned to avoid them. We were vectored 45 degrees left to dogleg to final in plenty of time, no danger, but: our new controller asked at handoff, 'who cleared you to 3000'?' we answered, 'previous controller.' no other conversation ensued, but it was evidently a glitch. Supplemental information from acn 82099: the controller asked if we had been cleared to other than 5000'. We answered yes, 3000'. No other inquiry was made and we landed on runway 36L at approximately XA00. There were other aircraft with similar call numbers. The minimum approach altitude for runway 36L is 3000'. In this vicinity there are towers at 2700' which we were in continuous sight of all during the approach beginning at 20+ mi out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FELT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH VECTOR TOWARDS ANTENNAS AND ALT ASSIGMENT BELOW MSA.

Narrative: USUAL FRANTIC SCENE AT DFW AS MANY ACFT ARRIVE AT SAME TIME. WE HAD BEEN SLOWED, VECTORED AND STAIR STEPPED IN DSCNT. WHEN VECTORED OFF THE ACTON 9 ARR, WE WERE CLRED TO 9000, 8000, 7000, 6000, 5000, 4000 AND 3000' IN STEPS. AFTER CLRNC TO 3000', WE WERE VECTORED FOR SPACING AND PUT ON A 90 DEG HDG TO FINAL INTERCEPT TO ILS 36L TO ABOUT 15-18 DME OUT. AS WE APCHED THIS POINT, WE DISCUSSED (IN THE COCKPIT ONLY) THAT MINIMUM SECTOR ALT HERE WAS 3500' AND WE DID NOT LIKE 3000' THIS FAR OUT, BUT WE HAD THE RADIO TWRS IN SIGHT (AIMED SQUARE AT THEM) AND PLANNED TO AVOID THEM. WE WERE VECTORED 45 DEGS LEFT TO DOGLEG TO FINAL IN PLENTY OF TIME, NO DANGER, BUT: OUR NEW CTLR ASKED AT HDOF, 'WHO CLRED YOU TO 3000'?' WE ANSWERED, 'PREVIOUS CTLR.' NO OTHER CONVERSATION ENSUED, BUT IT WAS EVIDENTLY A GLITCH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 82099: THE CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO OTHER THAN 5000'. WE ANSWERED YES, 3000'. NO OTHER INQUIRY WAS MADE AND WE LANDED ON RWY 36L AT APPROX XA00. THERE WERE OTHER ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL NUMBERS. THE MINIMUM APCH ALT FOR RWY 36L IS 3000'. IN THIS VICINITY THERE ARE TWRS AT 2700' WHICH WE WERE IN CONTINUOUS SIGHT OF ALL DURING THE APCH BEGINNING AT 20+ MI OUT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.