Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan when acy approach cleared me for VOR runway 6 approach into 26N, ocean city, nj, and to maintain at or above 2000 ft until established. Upon reaching the VOR, I began my descent for a straight in approach to the airport. The private pilot (serving as my safety pilot) sitting in the right seat began asking me questions as I was crossing the VOR and trying to get established on the final approach course. Instead of concentrating on the approach and the approach plate, I answered his questions. As a result, I began a descent to the 680 ft MDA instead of a 300 ft descent to 1700 ft to the morsl intersection as indicated on the approach plate. Acy approach informed that I was 5 mi from morsl intersection and was well below the 1700 ft that I should have been when at morsl intersection. I was at 1200 ft, and I immediately climbed to 1700 ft, crossed morsl intersection at 1700 ft, and continued the approach to the airport. Although the WX was excellent VFR with greater than 10 mi visibility, the fact remained I allowed myself to become distracted causing me to lose my concentration and not follow the procedures on the approach plate. I have flown this approach many times and perhaps that was the reason for allowing this distraction. I will not allow this to happen again. Once cleared for the approach that is all you are cleared to do, fly the approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING A NON PRECISION APCH, PLT DSNDED BELOW THE INITIAL APCH MINIMUMS PRIOR TO THE FINAL APCH FIX.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN WHEN ACY APCH CLRED ME FOR VOR RWY 6 APCH INTO 26N, OCEAN CITY, NJ, AND TO MAINTAIN AT OR ABOVE 2000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED. UPON REACHING THE VOR, I BEGAN MY DSCNT FOR A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO THE ARPT. THE PRIVATE PLT (SERVING AS MY SAFETY PLT) SITTING IN THE R SEAT BEGAN ASKING ME QUESTIONS AS I WAS XING THE VOR AND TRYING TO GET ESTABLISHED ON THE FINAL APCH COURSE. INSTEAD OF CONCENTRATING ON THE APCH AND THE APCH PLATE, I ANSWERED HIS QUESTIONS. AS A RESULT, I BEGAN A DSCNT TO THE 680 FT MDA INSTEAD OF A 300 FT DSCNT TO 1700 FT TO THE MORSL INTXN AS INDICATED ON THE APCH PLATE. ACY APCH INFORMED THAT I WAS 5 MI FROM MORSL INTXN AND WAS WELL BELOW THE 1700 FT THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WHEN AT MORSL INTXN. I WAS AT 1200 FT, AND I IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO 1700 FT, CROSSED MORSL INTXN AT 1700 FT, AND CONTINUED THE APCH TO THE ARPT. ALTHOUGH THE WX WAS EXCELLENT VFR WITH GREATER THAN 10 MI VISIBILITY, THE FACT REMAINED I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME DISTRACTED CAUSING ME TO LOSE MY CONCENTRATION AND NOT FOLLOW THE PROCS ON THE APCH PLATE. I HAVE FLOWN THIS APCH MANY TIMES AND PERHAPS THAT WAS THE REASON FOR ALLOWING THIS DISTR. I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN. ONCE CLRED FOR THE APCH THAT IS ALL YOU ARE CLRED TO DO, FLY THE APCH.

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.