Narrative:

An en route IFR clearance was issued by coast approach, which read as follows: 'small transport X is cleared to hawthorne airport via radar vectors, V23 sli (seal beach), sli 340 right direct wellz. Climb and maintain 5000.' the approach transmission was not clear (static and garbled), but I was able to copy and readback all but the word 'wellz,' which I asked to be spelled for verification. The flight was later handed over to lax approach. After passing the sli VOR and proceeding outbnd on the 340 degree right, moderate to heavy precipitation was encountered and immediately I noticed erratic CDI needle movements on both the #1 navigation unit, which was tuned to the hhr localizer frequency 109.1, and on the #2 navigation which was tuned to the seal beach VOR on 115.7. I was then given a left turn vector, followed by a second vector and announcement by lox approach that I was 2 1/2 mi from hashy and was cleared for the localizer runway 25 approach. Some time later, lax approach advised me that I appeared to be 1 mi so of course. I responded that my instruments indicated I was only sightly south of course. Shortly thereafter, the #2 navigation indicated passage of the sli 308 degree right (hashy) and further descent below 1500' was begun. A few moments later approach advised that I now appeared to be north of course, and they confirmed the localizer frequency as being 109.1. It was at this time (or just prior) that approach also said the xmissions from the radio were unreadable and I should switch to another radio, which I did. It was somewhere near this time when approach also asked from my altimeter reading, and I responded, '940'.' his response was that I was not to descend below 1500' until reaching hashy. I was then told to contact hawthorne tower. Upon calling hawthorne tower, I stated that I was inbound on the localizer approach, and asked for their radar indication of my distance from the airport. The tower response was either 1 1/2 or 2 mi and that I was to circle south for landing on runway 7. I later reported the airport in sight and was cleared to circle south and land.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF LIGHT TWIN ENGINE ACFT APPARENTLY DESCENDS EARLY ON APCH TO HHR.

Narrative: AN ENRTE IFR CLRNC WAS ISSUED BY COAST APCH, WHICH READ AS FOLLOWS: 'SMT X IS CLRED TO HAWTHORNE ARPT VIA RADAR VECTORS, V23 SLI (SEAL BEACH), SLI 340 R DIRECT WELLZ. CLB AND MAINTAIN 5000.' THE APCH XMISSION WAS NOT CLR (STATIC AND GARBLED), BUT I WAS ABLE TO COPY AND READBACK ALL BUT THE WORD 'WELLZ,' WHICH I ASKED TO BE SPELLED FOR VERIFICATION. THE FLT WAS LATER HANDED OVER TO LAX APCH. AFTER PASSING THE SLI VOR AND PROCEEDING OUTBND ON THE 340 DEG R, MODERATE TO HEAVY PRECIPITATION WAS ENCOUNTERED AND IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED ERRATIC CDI NEEDLE MOVEMENTS ON BOTH THE #1 NAV UNIT, WHICH WAS TUNED TO THE HHR LOC FREQ 109.1, AND ON THE #2 NAV WHICH WAS TUNED TO THE SEAL BEACH VOR ON 115.7. I WAS THEN GIVEN A LEFT TURN VECTOR, FOLLOWED BY A SECOND VECTOR AND ANNOUNCEMENT BY LOX APCH THAT I WAS 2 1/2 MI FROM HASHY AND WAS CLRED FOR THE LOC RWY 25 APCH. SOME TIME LATER, LAX APCH ADVISED ME THAT I APPEARED TO BE 1 MI SO OF COURSE. I RESPONDED THAT MY INSTRUMENTS INDICATED I WAS ONLY SIGHTLY S OF COURSE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE #2 NAV INDICATED PASSAGE OF THE SLI 308 DEG R (HASHY) AND FURTHER DSCNT BELOW 1500' WAS BEGUN. A FEW MOMENTS LATER APCH ADVISED THAT I NOW APPEARED TO BE N OF COURSE, AND THEY CONFIRMED THE LOC FREQ AS BEING 109.1. IT WAS AT THIS TIME (OR JUST PRIOR) THAT APCH ALSO SAID THE XMISSIONS FROM THE RADIO WERE UNREADABLE AND I SHOULD SWITCH TO ANOTHER RADIO, WHICH I DID. IT WAS SOMEWHERE NEAR THIS TIME WHEN APCH ALSO ASKED FROM MY ALTIMETER READING, AND I RESPONDED, '940'.' HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT I WAS NOT TO DSND BELOW 1500' UNTIL REACHING HASHY. I WAS THEN TOLD TO CONTACT HAWTHORNE TWR. UPON CALLING HAWTHORNE TWR, I STATED THAT I WAS INBND ON THE LOC APCH, AND ASKED FOR THEIR RADAR INDICATION OF MY DISTANCE FROM THE ARPT. THE TWR RESPONSE WAS EITHER 1 1/2 OR 2 MI AND THAT I WAS TO CIRCLE S FOR LNDG ON RWY 7. I LATER RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND WAS CLRED TO CIRCLE S AND LAND.

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.