Narrative:

While flying the published ILS approach for MSL as assigned by ATC, on the outbound course segment from the VOR, the procedure turn was initiated at a somewhat extended distance, 6 NM, because the airplane had not been flown by me recently, had just come out of the instrument/avionics shop, and I wanted maximum distance to establish the approach. However, in so doing the DME revealed the 10 NM distance limitation from the VOR to have been exceeded during the procedure turn. To complicate matters, once established on the inbound course, and having descended to the published 2000 ft MSL min, I broke out of IMC immediately below a ragged base. I scanned for other aircraft, and ahead to determine if a visual approach would be possible. In so doing, I inadvertently followed the cloud base in a descent, and was surprised to find my altimeter reading 1600 ft I immediately climbed back to 2000 ft and executed the ILS approach without further event. Breaking out again at 1700 ft MSL. Human performance considerations: concern regarding turning inbound too early resulted in excessive extension of the outbound course. Transitioning to the cloud base as a visual reference was an obvious lapse.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF SMA ACFT TURNED BEYOND THE PROC TURN LIMIT AND DSNDED PREMATURELY DURING AN ILS APCH.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING THE PUBLISHED ILS APCH FOR MSL AS ASSIGNED BY ATC, ON THE OUTBOUND COURSE SEGMENT FROM THE VOR, THE PROC TURN WAS INITIATED AT A SOMEWHAT EXTENDED DISTANCE, 6 NM, BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN BY ME RECENTLY, HAD JUST COME OUT OF THE INST/AVIONICS SHOP, AND I WANTED MAX DISTANCE TO ESTABLISH THE APCH. HOWEVER, IN SO DOING THE DME REVEALED THE 10 NM DISTANCE LIMITATION FROM THE VOR TO HAVE BEEN EXCEEDED DURING THE PROC TURN. TO COMPLICATE MATTERS, ONCE ESTABLISHED ON THE INBOUND COURSE, AND HAVING DSNDED TO THE PUBLISHED 2000 FT MSL MIN, I BROKE OUT OF IMC IMMEDIATELY BELOW A RAGGED BASE. I SCANNED FOR OTHER ACFT, AND AHEAD TO DETERMINE IF A VISUAL APCH WOULD BE POSSIBLE. IN SO DOING, I INADVERTENTLY FOLLOWED THE CLOUD BASE IN A DSCNT, AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND MY ALTIMETER READING 1600 FT I IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 2000 FT AND EXECUTED THE ILS APCH WITHOUT FURTHER EVENT. BREAKING OUT AGAIN AT 1700 FT MSL. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: CONCERN REGARDING TURNING INBOUND TOO EARLY RESULTED IN EXCESSIVE EXTENSION OF THE OUTBOUND COURSE. TRANSITIONING TO THE CLOUD BASE AS A VISUAL REF WAS AN OBVIOUS LAPSE.

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.