<< >> NASA ASRS Report 1219289, November 2014

An IFR PA-32 pilot making a night time RNAV approach to iws descended 150 ft below the FAF altitude when distracted by a ringing cellphone. Also cited as contributing was poor lighting of the altimeter.

Attributes
ACN	1219289
Time
Date	201411
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	IWS.Airport
State Reference	TX
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga/6X
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Cockpit Lighting
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30 Flight Crew Total 330 Flight Crew Type 150
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT

Narrative:

While on initial approach RNAV 15 into iws; approximately 1 mile outside of orent; I noticed I was below the glideslope. Minimum altitude at this point was 1700 msl and I was briefly as low as 1550 msl. This was discovered while scanning the instruments after reviewing the approach plate. Action was immediately taken to return to the proper altitude. I feel that a poorly lit altimeter contributed to this event as well as the distraction of a ringing cellphone. Improved lighting of the altimeter as well as powering off any cell phones before critical phases of flight would have prevented this event. The stress of making a night IFR approach into an unfamiliar field may also have contributed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An IFR PA-32 pilot making a night time RNAV approach to IWS descended 150 FT below the FAF altitude when distracted by a ringing cellphone. Also cited as contributing was poor lighting of the altimeter.

Narrative: While on initial approach RNAV 15 into IWS; approximately 1 mile outside of ORENT; I noticed I was below the glideslope. Minimum altitude at this point was 1700 msl and I was briefly as low as 1550 msl. This was discovered while scanning the instruments after reviewing the approach plate. Action was immediately taken to return to the proper altitude. I feel that a poorly lit altimeter contributed to this event as well as the distraction of a ringing cellphone. Improved lighting of the altimeter as well as powering off any cell phones before critical phases of flight would have prevented this event. The stress of making a night IFR approach into an unfamiliar field may also have contributed.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.