A private pilot, working on an instrument rating, flew through the MDA on a VOR approach.

Attributes
ACN	233372
Time
Date	199302
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cwi
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mli
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing : missed approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 92 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	233372
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed mli around XY30 am on feb/fri/93. Sky partially obscured, 3/4 mi visibility. We had climbed above the fog at 800-900 ft. It was clear, sun shining, visibility 10-15 mi. My student (a private pilot working on his instrument rating) asked for and received a clearance for a local IFR to a VOR runway 3 approach to cwi (on our own). We received the clearance before departing mli. We flew direct to cva VOR (IAF) at 3000 ft, flew the procedure turn outbound. As we crossed over the FAF we were still at 3000 ft. We should have descended to 2300 ft. I told student to start his descent twice, he was fixating on the CDI. The student was having a problem maintaining a heading and keeping the CDI centered on the 040 degree radial off cva VOR. ATC told us we were cleared for VOR runway 3 approach at cwi about 2 mi from hillz (used with the ILS 3 approach), to switch to advisory frequency. I told student again to get down to MDA which was 1400 ft MSL. I was talking about the approach, checking the traffic frequency (student had not talked to cwi yet) when I noticed he had descended through MDA. I told him to stop his descent immediately (he was at 1000 ft MSL), and climb back up to MDA at 1400 ft, which he did. Hind sight as to how this happened: 1) instructor was distracted, I had flown with this student on numerous occasions, he always performed above average, but this time he was having more trouble than usual maintaining headings and altitude. He was slow to start descent initially. 2) we were always in VFR conditions. I subconsciously was prepared to descend into the fog, which never happened. We were still above the fob at 1000 ft. 3) we had flown the ILS 3 approach at cwi several times and that decision ht was 1000 ft, we were also familiar with the area such obstructions, which I believe gave us a false sense of security. 4) sometimes it is hard to teach while in actual conditions or on actual IFR clearance. There is no room for error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT PLT, WORKING ON AN INST RATING, FLEW THROUGH THE MDA ON A VOR APCH.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED MLI AROUND XY30 AM ON FEB/FRI/93. SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED, 3/4 MI VISIBILITY. WE HAD CLBED ABOVE THE FOG AT 800-900 FT. IT WAS CLR, SUN SHINING, VISIBILITY 10-15 MI. MY STUDENT (A PRIVATE PLT WORKING ON HIS INST RATING) ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED A CLRNC FOR A LCL IFR TO A VOR RWY 3 APCH TO CWI (ON OUR OWN). WE RECEIVED THE CLRNC BEFORE DEPARTING MLI. WE FLEW DIRECT TO CVA VOR (IAF) AT 3000 FT, FLEW THE PROC TURN OUTBOUND. AS WE CROSSED OVER THE FAF WE WERE STILL AT 3000 FT. WE SHOULD HAVE DSNDED TO 2300 FT. I TOLD STUDENT TO START HIS DSCNT TWICE, HE WAS FIXATING ON THE CDI. THE STUDENT WAS HAVING A PROB MAINTAINING A HDG AND KEEPING THE CDI CTRED ON THE 040 DEG RADIAL OFF CVA VOR. ATC TOLD US WE WERE CLRED FOR VOR RWY 3 APCH AT CWI ABOUT 2 MI FROM HILLZ (USED WITH THE ILS 3 APCH), TO SWITCH TO ADVISORY FREQ. I TOLD STUDENT AGAIN TO GET DOWN TO MDA WHICH WAS 1400 FT MSL. I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE APCH, CHKING THE TFC FREQ (STUDENT HAD NOT TALKED TO CWI YET) WHEN I NOTICED HE HAD DSNDED THROUGH MDA. I TOLD HIM TO STOP HIS DSCNT IMMEDIATELY (HE WAS AT 1000 FT MSL), AND CLB BACK UP TO MDA AT 1400 FT, WHICH HE DID. HIND SIGHT AS TO HOW THIS HAPPENED: 1) INSTRUCTOR WAS DISTRACTED, I HAD FLOWN WITH THIS STUDENT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, HE ALWAYS PERFORMED ABOVE AVERAGE, BUT THIS TIME HE WAS HAVING MORE TROUBLE THAN USUAL MAINTAINING HDGS AND ALT. HE WAS SLOW TO START DSCNT INITIALLY. 2) WE WERE ALWAYS IN VFR CONDITIONS. I SUBCONSCIOUSLY WAS PREPARED TO DSND INTO THE FOG, WHICH NEVER HAPPENED. WE WERE STILL ABOVE THE FOB AT 1000 FT. 3) WE HAD FLOWN THE ILS 3 APCH AT CWI SEVERAL TIMES AND THAT DECISION HT WAS 1000 FT, WE WERE ALSO FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA SUCH OBSTRUCTIONS, WHICH I BELIEVE GAVE US A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. 4) SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO TEACH WHILE IN ACTUAL CONDITIONS OR ON ACTUAL IFR CLRNC. THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ERROR.

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.