Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Weather; Procedure; Human Factors
Flight to HRL without incident. ATC gave the Crew several reroutes due to rainstorms on the field. WX reported as Rain; 500 BKN; 1200 OVC; expect LOC BC to 35L. Flight was initially given direct to HRL. After we were switched over to Valley Approach on 120.7; while at 4;000 ft; ATC asked if we had the field in sight to which we responded we were completely IMC. Then we requested vectors for the LOC BC 35L. Approach said to expect that. Next clearance was to descend to 2;000 ft. Flight read back the clearance and descended to 2;000 ft. After we were level for approximately two minutes; Approach said we were only cleared to 3;000 ft to which we replied we confirmed the readback clearance with him. ATC directed us to climb to 3;000 ft and said to be advised of towers at one o'clock. We said we were initiating an immediate climb to 3;000 ft. There were no EGPWS warnings. The rest of the approach was flown without further event.
Air carrier flight crew on approach to HRL was cleared to 2000 ft from 4000 ft while IMC on the LOC BC Runway 35L. When level; the crew was told to return to 3000 ft because of towers in the area.