Narrative:

Problem was busting mins before final approach fix on descent on VOR/DME approach. Had been released from approach control to tower approximately 10.5 DME in turn to intercept final course. How arose -- planned day VFR out and back trip, was delayed before returning, so last 1/2 hour of flight was at night and was not properly prepared for night flight. Although IFR en route on return, forecast for cmi (destination) was 1000 scattered, 7000 overcast. Not mentally prepared for instrument approach. Wound up shooting night IFR approach in airplane (1968 model) with poor internal lighting and one flashlight with weak batteries. Contributing factors -- confusion: when about 20 south of the VOR was cleared direct to VOR for the VOR/DME approach. Was reviewing plate in poor lighting when given vector 20 degree to right. As approaching abeam of VOR, planning to go to VOR, queried approach as to intentions. Was told being vectored for downwind and base. My mind was behind the airplane planning for direct to VOR. With aging eyes, glasses, and poor lighting lack of study of the approach, I misread final approach fix to begin let down at 9 DME versus 6 DME as published. So began let down too soon from 3000 ft MSL to 1400 ft MSL. Looking at plate after starting let down, noticed error at 7 DME so added power to climb. Then let down from 6 DME (did not get back to the min altitude (2400 ft) before reaching 6 DME. Remedy: even when planning VFR trips, if you might be IFR en route, study the approach plates well before the flight because there's no guarantee the destination will remain as good as forecasted. On daytime out and back trips, be sure flashlight has strong batteries and bring a second just in case. Many unforeseen events might make a day trip into a night flight so be prepared. Consider requesting a hold or execute a missed approach when things don't go right. This is easy to say in retrospect (now at my desk) but it didn't come to mind when in the pilot's seat trying to get home under unplanned circumstances. Actions to be taken: get an instructor to take me up for some serious IFR work/review. Obviously I let myself get behind when I know better and should have done what I know how to do.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT IN SMA ON IFR APCH TO MINS HAD DIM LIGHTS IN COCKPIT AND DIM LIGHT FROM FLASHLIGHT. MADE EARLY DSCNT. MISREADING APCH CHART.

Narrative: PROBLEM WAS BUSTING MINS BEFORE FINAL APCH FIX ON DSCNT ON VOR/DME APCH. HAD BEEN RELEASED FROM APCH CTL TO TWR APPROX 10.5 DME IN TURN TO INTERCEPT FINAL COURSE. HOW AROSE -- PLANNED DAY VFR OUT AND BACK TRIP, WAS DELAYED BEFORE RETURNING, SO LAST 1/2 HR OF FLT WAS AT NIGHT AND WAS NOT PROPERLY PREPARED FOR NIGHT FLT. ALTHOUGH IFR ENRTE ON RETURN, FORECAST FOR CMI (DEST) WAS 1000 SCATTERED, 7000 OVCST. NOT MENTALLY PREPARED FOR INST APCH. WOUND UP SHOOTING NIGHT IFR APCH IN AIRPLANE (1968 MODEL) WITH POOR INTERNAL LIGHTING AND ONE FLASHLIGHT WITH WEAK BATTERIES. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS -- CONFUSION: WHEN ABOUT 20 S OF THE VOR WAS CLRED DIRECT TO VOR FOR THE VOR/DME APCH. WAS REVIEWING PLATE IN POOR LIGHTING WHEN GIVEN VECTOR 20 DEG TO R. AS APCHING ABEAM OF VOR, PLANNING TO GO TO VOR, QUERIED APCH AS TO INTENTIONS. WAS TOLD BEING VECTORED FOR DOWNWIND AND BASE. MY MIND WAS BEHIND THE AIRPLANE PLANNING FOR DIRECT TO VOR. WITH AGING EYES, GLASSES, AND POOR LIGHTING LACK OF STUDY OF THE APCH, I MISREAD FINAL APCH FIX TO BEGIN LET DOWN AT 9 DME VERSUS 6 DME AS PUBLISHED. SO BEGAN LET DOWN TOO SOON FROM 3000 FT MSL TO 1400 FT MSL. LOOKING AT PLATE AFTER STARTING LET DOWN, NOTICED ERROR AT 7 DME SO ADDED PWR TO CLB. THEN LET DOWN FROM 6 DME (DID NOT GET BACK TO THE MIN ALT (2400 FT) BEFORE REACHING 6 DME. REMEDY: EVEN WHEN PLANNING VFR TRIPS, IF YOU MIGHT BE IFR ENRTE, STUDY THE APCH PLATES WELL BEFORE THE FLT BECAUSE THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THE DEST WILL REMAIN AS GOOD AS FORECASTED. ON DAYTIME OUT AND BACK TRIPS, BE SURE FLASHLIGHT HAS STRONG BATTERIES AND BRING A SECOND JUST IN CASE. MANY UNFORESEEN EVENTS MIGHT MAKE A DAY TRIP INTO A NIGHT FLT SO BE PREPARED. CONSIDER REQUESTING A HOLD OR EXECUTE A MISSED APCH WHEN THINGS DON'T GO RIGHT. THIS IS EASY TO SAY IN RETROSPECT (NOW AT MY DESK) BUT IT DIDN'T COME TO MIND WHEN IN THE PLT'S SEAT TRYING TO GET HOME UNDER UNPLANNED CIRCUMSTANCES. ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN: GET AN INSTRUCTOR TO TAKE ME UP FOR SOME SERIOUS IFR WORK/REVIEW. OBVIOUSLY I LET MYSELF GET BEHIND WHEN I KNOW BETTER AND SHOULD HAVE DONE WHAT I KNOW HOW TO DO.

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.