Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Confusion
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Airport; Human Factors; Procedure
On arrival into IAD; we were assigned landing runway of 19C on initial contact with Approach. We were coming in from the south and as a result were vectored for a right [sic] downwind on the east side of the airport. Abeam the FAF of FEMKO for 19C; Potomac Approach cleared us for the visual to 19C. My First Officer selected 1500 in the altitude select which is depicted as the intercept altitude for the ILS to 19C. He began a descent to that altitude as we started to make our base turn. Approach then handed us off to Tower. A few seconds after the initial check on Tower; Control stated; 'Check altitude; you should not be below 1;900 feet.' We initiated a climb to 1;900 feet and were recleared for approach and landing by Tower Controller. Nothing further was mentioned by the Controller and we proceeded to the gate uneventfully. I could not find any reference to an altitude restriction of 1;900 feet on any of the approach plates.
CRJ-200 Captain reports being cleared for a visual approach to Runway 19C at IAD from the left downwind abeam FEMKO. The flying First Officer begins descending to 1;500 feet and is chided by the Tower for descending below 1;900 feet.