A private pilot flew a hooded practice instrument approach using a certificated private pilot as a s...

Attributes
ACN	299443
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cma
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 700 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cma
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 101 flight time type : 97
ASRS Report	299443
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying a cessna 152 from lgb to cma under the hood at an altitude of 4500 ft. Accompanying me was a safety pilot who also has a private pilot's license. I was on V-326 wbound. When I got around ginna, I called mugu approach and told them I wanted to practice the VOR runway 26 approach into cma. He cleared me and said to maintain VFR. He told me to report at 'cecee,' which is a fix. I started descending fast and things started happening very quickly. Since this was my first time ever shooting an approach, I got behind the aircraft. Mugu gave radar vectors to get me back on course and I was waiting for the VOR needle to center. When I got to the fix, I called mugu, and they said for me to contact cma tower. I contacted the cma tower and I told them, 'I'm with you.' I was so preoccupied with flying the airplane that I did not understand the entire ATC clearance and the safety pilot had to respond to ATC. The safety pilot took off my hood and I immediately started looking outside for traffic and for the runway, still uncertain of the ATC clearance. The safety pilot called my attention and said that if I wanted to land, that I must contact the tower. The radio was very congested. I was waiting for the radio to open up, so I could tell the tower my intentions to land. By the time I got in contact with the cma tower, I went below my assigned altitude by 400-500 ft. This was the first time I understood that I was to keep an altitude of 1200 ft. From the point that I contacted mugu for the first time, I understood that I was cleared for the approach and landing. My mistake was not making it clear to mugu my whole intentions, which were to land, and not clearly understanding cma tower instructions, which were to fly a missed approach. I should not fly outside my boundaries, and I will fly within my limitations. From now on, my instrument training will be with a cfii.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT PLT FLEW A HOODED PRACTICE INST APCH USING A CERTIFICATED PVT PLT AS A SAFETY PLT. THIS WAS A FIRST TIME EXPERIENCE FOR THE PLT, AND COMS CONFUSION RESULTED IN AN ALTDEV.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A CESSNA 152 FROM LGB TO CMA UNDER THE HOOD AT AN ALT OF 4500 FT. ACCOMPANYING ME WAS A SAFETY PLT WHO ALSO HAS A PVT PLT'S LICENSE. I WAS ON V-326 WBOUND. WHEN I GOT AROUND GINNA, I CALLED MUGU APCH AND TOLD THEM I WANTED TO PRACTICE THE VOR RWY 26 APCH INTO CMA. HE CLRED ME AND SAID TO MAINTAIN VFR. HE TOLD ME TO RPT AT 'CECEE,' WHICH IS A FIX. I STARTED DSNDING FAST AND THINGS STARTED HAPPENING VERY QUICKLY. SINCE THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME EVER SHOOTING AN APCH, I GOT BEHIND THE ACFT. MUGU GAVE RADAR VECTORS TO GET ME BACK ON COURSE AND I WAS WAITING FOR THE VOR NEEDLE TO CTR. WHEN I GOT TO THE FIX, I CALLED MUGU, AND THEY SAID FOR ME TO CONTACT CMA TWR. I CONTACTED THE CMA TWR AND I TOLD THEM, 'I'M WITH YOU.' I WAS SO PREOCCUPIED WITH FLYING THE AIRPLANE THAT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE ENTIRE ATC CLRNC AND THE SAFETY PLT HAD TO RESPOND TO ATC. THE SAFETY PLT TOOK OFF MY HOOD AND I IMMEDIATELY STARTED LOOKING OUTSIDE FOR TFC AND FOR THE RWY, STILL UNCERTAIN OF THE ATC CLRNC. THE SAFETY PLT CALLED MY ATTN AND SAID THAT IF I WANTED TO LAND, THAT I MUST CONTACT THE TWR. THE RADIO WAS VERY CONGESTED. I WAS WAITING FOR THE RADIO TO OPEN UP, SO I COULD TELL THE TWR MY INTENTIONS TO LAND. BY THE TIME I GOT IN CONTACT WITH THE CMA TWR, I WENT BELOW MY ASSIGNED ALT BY 400-500 FT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I UNDERSTOOD THAT I WAS TO KEEP AN ALT OF 1200 FT. FROM THE POINT THAT I CONTACTED MUGU FOR THE FIRST TIME, I UNDERSTOOD THAT I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH AND LNDG. MY MISTAKE WAS NOT MAKING IT CLR TO MUGU MY WHOLE INTENTIONS, WHICH WERE TO LAND, AND NOT CLRLY UNDERSTANDING CMA TWR INSTRUCTIONS, WHICH WERE TO FLY A MISSED APCH. I SHOULD NOT FLY OUTSIDE MY BOUNDARIES, AND I WILL FLY WITHIN MY LIMITATIONS. FROM NOW ON, MY INST TRAINING WILL BE WITH A CFII.

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.

A private pilot flew a hooded practice instrument approach using a certificated private pilot as a safety pilot. This was a first time experience for the pilot, and communications confusion resulted in an altitude deviation.