Narrative:

At approximately 28 DME from lake charles, a thin stratus layer of clouds began to form at about 4000 ft MSL. I tuned in the lch ATIS. Conditions were IFR. This occurred about 15 mins to the hour. When the polk controller handed me off to the lch controller, he asked if I had ATIS, I said yes for the current. He inquired if I had the next current since it was about to change. I said no, but would wait for it to change. When I did, I reported it. He asked my intentions. I requested clearance for the ILS approach to runway 15 in lch. He said approved, and said turn to a heading of 180 degrees. I was flying 160 degrees. Then descend and maintain 1500 ft MSL. I read it back and he said readback correct. I obtained my instrument ticket on dec/xx/96. At this time I began a descent at 500 FPM. I made a PIREP of the cloud tops at 3000 ft MSL. At this time I joined the localizer and began to track it inbound. Upon entering the clouds at 3000 ft, my 2 yr old began to fuss, scream and cry. I was within 10 mi of the marker. With attention diverted, but still tracking the localizer, I broke out of the clouds at 1000 ft MSL. At this point, the controller queried me as to the minimums for the approach outside the marker were 1500 ft MSL. I acknowledged and reported climbing back to 1500 ft MSL, where I completed the approach and landed safely. I should not have let my attention be diverted by anything!

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INST RATED PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL DSNDED BELOW THE INITIAL APCH ALT DURING VECTORS TO FINAL FOR AN ILS APCH DUE TO A PAX DISTR.

Narrative: AT APPROX 28 DME FROM LAKE CHARLES, A THIN STRATUS LAYER OF CLOUDS BEGAN TO FORM AT ABOUT 4000 FT MSL. I TUNED IN THE LCH ATIS. CONDITIONS WERE IFR. THIS OCCURRED ABOUT 15 MINS TO THE HR. WHEN THE POLK CTLR HANDED ME OFF TO THE LCH CTLR, HE ASKED IF I HAD ATIS, I SAID YES FOR THE CURRENT. HE INQUIRED IF I HAD THE NEXT CURRENT SINCE IT WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE. I SAID NO, BUT WOULD WAIT FOR IT TO CHANGE. WHEN I DID, I RPTED IT. HE ASKED MY INTENTIONS. I REQUESTED CLRNC FOR THE ILS APCH TO RWY 15 IN LCH. HE SAID APPROVED, AND SAID TURN TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS. I WAS FLYING 160 DEGS. THEN DSND AND MAINTAIN 1500 FT MSL. I READ IT BACK AND HE SAID READBACK CORRECT. I OBTAINED MY INST TICKET ON DEC/XX/96. AT THIS TIME I BEGAN A DSCNT AT 500 FPM. I MADE A PIREP OF THE CLOUD TOPS AT 3000 FT MSL. AT THIS TIME I JOINED THE LOC AND BEGAN TO TRACK IT INBOUND. UPON ENTERING THE CLOUDS AT 3000 FT, MY 2 YR OLD BEGAN TO FUSS, SCREAM AND CRY. I WAS WITHIN 10 MI OF THE MARKER. WITH ATTN DIVERTED, BUT STILL TRACKING THE LOC, I BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 1000 FT MSL. AT THIS POINT, THE CTLR QUERIED ME AS TO THE MINIMUMS FOR THE APCH OUTSIDE THE MARKER WERE 1500 FT MSL. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND RPTED CLBING BACK TO 1500 FT MSL, WHERE I COMPLETED THE APCH AND LANDED SAFELY. I SHOULD NOT HAVE LET MY ATTN BE DIVERTED BY ANYTHING!

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.