Altitude deviation altitude excursion during IAP ILS approach.

Attributes
ACN	307375
Time
Date	199506
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mmu
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 225 flight time type : 165
ASRS Report	307375
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on my first solo IFR flight since getting my certificate. I was flying from westover, ma, to morristown, nj, and was in IMC for the majority of the flight. The flight had gone smoothly and I had been cleared for the ILS runway 23 approach into morristown airport. Prior to my flight I had studied the plate and took notice of a note warning that the OM for caldwell airport, about 5 mi to the north, may be picked up prior to the final approach fix for the ILS runway 23, which is an NDB/OM named moree. The approach controller cleared me for the approach and instructed me to maintain 2000 ft until established. As I continued on the localizer, I did receive the caldwell OM indication. I immediately started to descend after hearing the tone for the OM, completely forgetting the note on the plate. After 30 or so seconds I realized that the GS was not properly intercepted and that the ADF was still indicating that moree was ahead of me. By this time I was at 1700 ft MSL and began an immediate climb back to 2000 ft, but not before the controller asked if I was properly tracking the localizer and GS. He informed me that I was now 2 mi from moree and cleared me to contact the tower. I continued the approach at 2000 ft, intercepted the GS and reported myself inbound to the tower where a non-eventful descent and landing was completed. This problem was caused by both a human factors and procedure problem. My excitement and anxiety about my first solo flight in IMC caused me to completely forget about the note on the plate and react too quickly to a situation without 'pausing' to verify the instrument readings, ie, the OM. In addition, an immediate xchk of the ADF would have verified that I was not at the final approach fix and a further determination of my position was required. In the future, where possible, I will xchk all navigational readings before taking any action. I am not sure I the excitement and awe of flying in instrument conditions will ever decrease.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION DURING IAP ILS APCH.

Narrative: I WAS ON MY FIRST SOLO IFR FLT SINCE GETTING MY CERTIFICATE. I WAS FLYING FROM WESTOVER, MA, TO MORRISTOWN, NJ, AND WAS IN IMC FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE FLT. THE FLT HAD GONE SMOOTHLY AND I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 23 APCH INTO MORRISTOWN ARPT. PRIOR TO MY FLT I HAD STUDIED THE PLATE AND TOOK NOTICE OF A NOTE WARNING THAT THE OM FOR CALDWELL ARPT, ABOUT 5 MI TO THE N, MAY BE PICKED UP PRIOR TO THE FINAL APCH FIX FOR THE ILS RWY 23, WHICH IS AN NDB/OM NAMED MOREE. THE APCH CTLR CLRED ME FOR THE APCH AND INSTRUCTED ME TO MAINTAIN 2000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED. AS I CONTINUED ON THE LOC, I DID RECEIVE THE CALDWELL OM INDICATION. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO DSND AFTER HEARING THE TONE FOR THE OM, COMPLETELY FORGETTING THE NOTE ON THE PLATE. AFTER 30 OR SO SECONDS I REALIZED THAT THE GS WAS NOT PROPERLY INTERCEPTED AND THAT THE ADF WAS STILL INDICATING THAT MOREE WAS AHEAD OF ME. BY THIS TIME I WAS AT 1700 FT MSL AND BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE CLB BACK TO 2000 FT, BUT NOT BEFORE THE CTLR ASKED IF I WAS PROPERLY TRACKING THE LOC AND GS. HE INFORMED ME THAT I WAS NOW 2 MI FROM MOREE AND CLRED ME TO CONTACT THE TWR. I CONTINUED THE APCH AT 2000 FT, INTERCEPTED THE GS AND RPTED MYSELF INBOUND TO THE TWR WHERE A NON-EVENTFUL DSCNT AND LNDG WAS COMPLETED. THIS PROB WAS CAUSED BY BOTH A HUMAN FACTORS AND PROC PROB. MY EXCITEMENT AND ANXIETY ABOUT MY FIRST SOLO FLT IN IMC CAUSED ME TO COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT THE NOTE ON THE PLATE AND REACT TOO QUICKLY TO A SIT WITHOUT 'PAUSING' TO VERIFY THE INST READINGS, IE, THE OM. IN ADDITION, AN IMMEDIATE XCHK OF THE ADF WOULD HAVE VERIFIED THAT I WAS NOT AT THE FINAL APCH FIX AND A FURTHER DETERMINATION OF MY POS WAS REQUIRED. IN THE FUTURE, WHERE POSSIBLE, I WILL XCHK ALL NAVIGATIONAL READINGS BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION. I AM NOT SURE I THE EXCITEMENT AND AWE OF FLYING IN INST CONDITIONS WILL EVER DECREASE.

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.