Approach procedure not followed resulting in controlled flight toward terrain.

Attributes
ACN	125608
Time
Date	198910
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lns
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1040 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lns
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	125608
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : ground less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Vector for ILS 8 localizer only at 3000'. Intercepted localizer about 3 mi outside outer marker. Was below ceiling at 3000', lower scattered layer at about 1000-1200'. Immediately descended below the lower layer to circling minimums instead of waiting to the outer marker. At the time I thought I saw the marker beacon light. Was in mod turbulence with a sick passenger. Was informed by tower that I was at the circling minimum 1 mi outside the marker. The marker beacon went off again and I realized my mistake, which scared me white when I thought about what might have happened. Fortunately the terrain is flat in that area. In retrospect I should have made sure that the marker had been thoroughly identified before descent, rather than thinking it went off and attempting to dive through a hole to remain visual. The layer I was below went from scattered to overcast before I got to the airport. I learned a lesson I'll never forget. All parts of an approach procedure should be thoroughly identified and the procedure followed to the letter. The alternative can be deadly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH PROC NOT FOLLOWED RESULTING IN CONTROLLED FLT TOWARD TERRAIN.

Narrative: VECTOR FOR ILS 8 LOC ONLY AT 3000'. INTERCEPTED LOC ABOUT 3 MI OUTSIDE OUTER MARKER. WAS BELOW CEILING AT 3000', LOWER SCATTERED LAYER AT ABOUT 1000-1200'. IMMEDIATELY DESCENDED BELOW THE LOWER LAYER TO CIRCLING MINIMUMS INSTEAD OF WAITING TO THE OUTER MARKER. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT I SAW THE MARKER BEACON LIGHT. WAS IN MOD TURBULENCE WITH A SICK PAX. WAS INFORMED BY TWR THAT I WAS AT THE CIRCLING MINIMUM 1 MI OUTSIDE THE MARKER. THE MARKER BEACON WENT OFF AGAIN AND I REALIZED MY MISTAKE, WHICH SCARED ME WHITE WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. FORTUNATELY THE TERRAIN IS FLAT IN THAT AREA. IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE MADE SURE THAT THE MARKER HAD BEEN THOROUGHLY IDENTIFIED BEFORE DSCNT, RATHER THAN THINKING IT WENT OFF AND ATTEMPTING TO DIVE THROUGH A HOLE TO REMAIN VISUAL. THE LAYER I WAS BELOW WENT FROM SCATTERED TO OVERCAST BEFORE I GOT TO THE ARPT. I LEARNED A LESSON I'LL NEVER FORGET. ALL PARTS OF AN APCH PROC SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY IDENTIFIED AND THE PROC FOLLOWED TO THE LETTER. THE ALTERNATIVE CAN BE DEADLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.