aterpster
I’m fully aware of how busy SLC can become but I am not at all in agreement that the Dillingham accident crew was issued an instruction to “descend to 2000 feet.” As I understand what has been provided, is it not true that the ATC Controller instructed the crew to proceed to the Dillingham IAF and to maintain 2000 feet or above? Did you not ask whether or not "maintain at or above" was a specific altitude instruction? The answer to that question is that it cannot be a “specific altitude instruction,” and that is simply because there is no instruction to maintain a specific altitude. Instead it is an instruction to not descend below that stated altitude. So, does that give the pilot the impression that descent to that stated altitude is permitted? If you think it does, then how do you understand the “or above” portion? Any instruction to NOT do a specific thing is not an instruction to DO any specific thing – it is only what it is. I think it’s a mistake to interpret that statement any other way. I do not know where that accident airplane was located, nor do I know at what altitude they were at when that ATC instruction was issued. But regardless, it seems to me that it would be appropriate that the flight crew would have maintained the MSA for their position, whatever position that was at the time, and whatever position they traveled to, until such time as they reached the point to which they were directed to fly – and, then, at that time, they could have descended to the 2000 ft. altitude or the altitude minimums for their existing position for that approach.