ACR CREW LEFT HOLDING PATTERN WITH CLRNC BUT LEFT ALT WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative

WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD AT SSR VOR WHILE ANOTHER ACFT WAS ON APCH TO PAJN ARPT. WE WERE ASSIGNED 10000 FT AS AN ALT. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO LYNNS INTXN 'IN ANTICIPATION OF THE LDA RWY 8 APCH.' I REALIZED THAT WE WERE NOT CLRED FOR THE APCH. THE CAPT KNEW THIS ALSO. WHEN WE EXITED THE HOLDING PATTERN OVER SSR VOR AND SET THE ACFT RADIO HSI FOR NAV TO LYNNS INTXN; I DIALED IN INTO THE ALT ALERTER THE MINIMUM APPROVED ALT FOR THAT SEGMENT ON THE APCH CHART. THIS WAS THE ERROR. WE WERE CLRED TO LYNNS INTXN; BUT NOT CLRED LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS 10000 FT MSL. THE CAPT DSNDED FROM 10000 FT AND WE WERE QUERIED BY ATC AT ABOUT 7800 FT MSL. APCH CLRNC WAS THEN GIVEN AND THE DSCNT CONTINUED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAPT WAS SUDDENLY VERY UPSET WITH MY 'LEADING HIM DOWN THE PATH.' THE ERROR WAS MINE -- RESETTING THE ALT ALERTER WITHOUT FIRST RECEIVING A PROPER ATC DSCNT CLRNC. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL GIVE GREATER RESPECT FOR THIS ROUTINE ACTION AND WILL KEEP THE OTHER PLT AWARE OF MY ALT ALERTER CHANGES.