GA small aircraft altitude deviation descends below procedure altitude, MSAW activated.

Attributes
ACN	156739
Time
Date	199009
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tan
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 700 msl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pvd
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	156739
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed tan, climbed VFR to 2000', called ocean approach. Request to pick up IFR clearance to hold at tan NDB followed by multiple approachs (NDB tan). WX was forecast to go down later. To the far east I could see small patches of fog developing. Did 2 turns in the hold, then requested an NDB runway 30 approach to tan. Received clearance to proceed outbnd on procedure turn. On final descended to MDA of 700'. Approach had already approved frequency change. I monitored approach as well as airport down to MDA and went into fog bank east of field. Broke out of fog bank, called ocean to cancel IFR, but they never responded. Then they called me to advise 'low altitude alert,' check altimeter setting. At this time I had the field made and doing a course reversal to land on runway 30 (to the west visibility was 4 mi, to the east was fog bank). Landed, cancelled IFR and 10 mins later gave PIREP about fog bank to east and visibility 4 mi to the west. Problem: I had never asked for pvd altimeter setting nor was given it. Also approach never heard me cancel in the air.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ALT DEVIATION DESCENDS BELOW PROC ALT, MSAW ACTIVATED.

Narrative: DEPARTED TAN, CLBED VFR TO 2000', CALLED OCEAN APCH. REQUEST TO PICK UP IFR CLRNC TO HOLD AT TAN NDB FOLLOWED BY MULTIPLE APCHS (NDB TAN). WX WAS FORECAST TO GO DOWN LATER. TO THE FAR E I COULD SEE SMALL PATCHES OF FOG DEVELOPING. DID 2 TURNS IN THE HOLD, THEN REQUESTED AN NDB RWY 30 APCH TO TAN. RECEIVED CLRNC TO PROCEED OUTBND ON PROC TURN. ON FINAL DSNDED TO MDA OF 700'. APCH HAD ALREADY APPROVED FREQ CHANGE. I MONITORED APCH AS WELL AS ARPT DOWN TO MDA AND WENT INTO FOG BANK E OF FIELD. BROKE OUT OF FOG BANK, CALLED OCEAN TO CANCEL IFR, BUT THEY NEVER RESPONDED. THEN THEY CALLED ME TO ADVISE 'LOW ALT ALERT,' CHK ALTIMETER SETTING. AT THIS TIME I HAD THE FIELD MADE AND DOING A COURSE REVERSAL TO LAND ON RWY 30 (TO THE W VISIBILITY WAS 4 MI, TO THE E WAS FOG BANK). LANDED, CANCELLED IFR AND 10 MINS LATER GAVE PIREP ABOUT FOG BANK TO E AND VISIBILITY 4 MI TO THE W. PROB: I HAD NEVER ASKED FOR PVD ALTIMETER SETTING NOR WAS GIVEN IT. ALSO APCH NEVER HEARD ME CANCEL IN THE AIR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.