Late descent during IAP VOR approach causes missed approach.

Attributes
ACN	237020
Time
Date	199303
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lrd
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lrd artcc : zme
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	approach : circling
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 63 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3900
ASRS Report	237020
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VOR approach, conditions were 600 overcast, light rain, thunderstorms. PIC failed to descend to proper decision ht on VOR approach, overflew tower, and point of turn in, to land on runway 35L. Missed approach after overflying airport while descending to decision ht. We became visual, had contact with runway, reversed course entered downwind at tower's instructions and landed without incident on runway 35L. Contributing factors were thunderstorms in area and lack of approach radar. Corrective actions taken: tighter control of pilot descent procedures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LATE DSCNT DURING IAP VOR APCH CAUSES MISSED APCH.

Narrative: VOR APCH, CONDITIONS WERE 600 OVCST, LIGHT RAIN, TSTMS. PIC FAILED TO DSND TO PROPER DECISION HT ON VOR APCH, OVERFLEW TWR, AND POINT OF TURN IN, TO LAND ON RWY 35L. MISSED APCH AFTER OVERFLYING ARPT WHILE DSNDING TO DECISION HT. WE BECAME VISUAL, HAD CONTACT WITH RWY, REVERSED COURSE ENTERED DOWNWIND AT TWR'S INSTRUCTIONS AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT ON RWY 35L. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE TSTMS IN AREA AND LACK OF APCH RADAR. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TAKEN: TIGHTER CTL OF PLT DSCNT PROCS.

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.