Narrative:

I was flying a C-185A ILS, from lgb to cno. I used the CTAF (119.40) and climbed out through the haze. Conditions were sky partially obscured and visibility approximately 3 to 4 mi. On reaching 800 ft MSL, I attempted to contact coast (124.65) for a 'tower-en route' to cno on both radios. No contact. At fullerton (about 2000 ft asl) I called ontario (135.40); again no contact. I grabbed my handheld from the back seat and turned it on. It was on 118.50 and I heard chatter. I got a communication check and decided that I would return to lgb if conditions were not VFR at cno. They were not, so I returned to lgb. On the way back, I called coast and requested the ILS to runway 30 at lgb. They vectored me to the intercept and cleared me to the ILS and turned me over to lgb tower. I entered IMC at about 1600 ft with the GS and localizer centered in the doughnut. At 800 ft I was given an altitude alert, off course alert, and popped out of the bottom of the marine layer about the time I turned north toward the airport. At that time I quick checked the radio's, radio master, and the generator breaker/ammeter and low charge light. All appeared normal, since I could see the ground, recognized the terrain and could make out the outline of the airport in the haze, I continued north at 800 ft until I passed over the runways and was cleared to land. I turned a 270 degree approach and landed on runway 30. The directional gyro was working and was crosschecked against the magnetic compass after turning north, I think I paid too much attention to the localizer, GS, and vsi and insufficient attention to the directional gyro and compass until the tower called. On landing, both navigation radios were operating but the communications were not. Also the ADF was found to be erratic. The aircraft had been flight tested the preceding day and everything worked. Probable violations: no missed approach and low flight over city of lgb.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT WAS LOW AND OFF COURSE ON AN ILS.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A C-185A ILS, FROM LGB TO CNO. I USED THE CTAF (119.40) AND CLBED OUT THROUGH THE HAZE. CONDITIONS WERE SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED AND VISIBILITY APPROX 3 TO 4 MI. ON REACHING 800 FT MSL, I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT COAST (124.65) FOR A 'TWR-ENRTE' TO CNO ON BOTH RADIOS. NO CONTACT. AT FULLERTON (ABOUT 2000 FT ASL) I CALLED ONTARIO (135.40); AGAIN NO CONTACT. I GRABBED MY HANDHELD FROM THE BACK SEAT AND TURNED IT ON. IT WAS ON 118.50 AND I HEARD CHATTER. I GOT A COM CHK AND DECIDED THAT I WOULD RETURN TO LGB IF CONDITIONS WERE NOT VFR AT CNO. THEY WERE NOT, SO I RETURNED TO LGB. ON THE WAY BACK, I CALLED COAST AND REQUESTED THE ILS TO RWY 30 AT LGB. THEY VECTORED ME TO THE INTERCEPT AND CLEARED ME TO THE ILS AND TURNED ME OVER TO LGB TWR. I ENTERED IMC AT ABOUT 1600 FT WITH THE GS AND LOC CTRED IN THE DOUGHNUT. AT 800 FT I WAS GIVEN AN ALT ALERT, OFF COURSE ALERT, AND POPPED OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE MARINE LAYER ABOUT THE TIME I TURNED N TOWARD THE ARPT. AT THAT TIME I QUICK CHKED THE RADIO'S, RADIO MASTER, AND THE GENERATOR BREAKER/AMMETER AND LOW CHARGE LIGHT. ALL APPEARED NORMAL, SINCE I COULD SEE THE GND, RECOGNIZED THE TERRAIN AND COULD MAKE OUT THE OUTLINE OF THE ARPT IN THE HAZE, I CONTINUED NORTH AT 800 FT UNTIL I PASSED OVER THE RWYS AND WAS CLEARED TO LAND. I TURNED A 270 DEG APCH AND LANDED ON RWY 30. THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO WAS WORKING AND WAS XCHKED AGAINST THE MAGNETIC COMPASS AFTER TURNING N, I THINK I PAID TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE LOC, GS, AND VSI AND INSUFFICIENT ATTENTION TO THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO AND COMPASS UNTIL THE TWR CALLED. ON LNDG, BOTH NAV RADIOS WERE OPERATING BUT THE COMS WERE NOT. ALSO THE ADF WAS FOUND TO BE ERRATIC. THE ACFT HAD BEEN FLT TESTED THE PRECEDING DAY AND EVERYTHING WORKED. PROBABLE VIOLATIONS: NO MISSED APCH AND LOW FLT OVER CITY OF LGB.

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.