Not in the U.S.....There was a TWA accident at Dulles (IAD) several years ago...
Synopsis.
(I was puzzled that I couldn't find this at first, as I also remembered it as IAD -- the database has the destination as DCA, but the synopsis clearly shows the destination was Dulles.)
Thanks for the replies. As the OP, please let me reinterate that the ONLY question I had was on whether it is permissable in France to descent to the 25 mile MSA altitude when off airways/route but cleared direct to an iaf and cleared for approach.
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Bookworm, are you suggesting that atc is meaning descent at pilots discretion? If so, are pilots then permitted in the UK to use the MSA in determining their safe altitudea?
The MSA has nothing to do with it. Nor has pilot's discretion. It is absolutely clear (PANS-ATM 8.6.5.2) that ATC is responsible for terrain separation when giving a vector or a direct clearance. The issue is whether the clearance for an approach includes an implicit instruction to descend to the initial altitude for the approach.
FAA AIM 5-5 deals with the issue explicitly:
Pilot
3. Upon receipt of an approach clearance while on an unpublished route or being radar vectored:
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(b) Maintains the last assigned altitude until established on a segment of a published route or IAP, at which time published altitudes apply.
Controller.
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2. Issues an IFR approach clearance only after the aircraft is established on a segment of published route or IAP, or assigns an appropriate altitude for the aircraft to maintain until so established.
AFAIK, ICAO does not offer guidance.