Small aircraft pilot descended below the published altitude outside the LOM at abe.

Attributes
ACN	480610
Time
Date	200007
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abe.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2336
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abe.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 6
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	480610
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approaching abe, and being vectored by the abe approach controller to the ILS runway 6 approach, I was cleared for the approach about 3 mi southwest of the FAF (OM). Leaving the bottoms of the broken ceiling at about 2400 ft MSL, but still outside the marker, I had the field in sight, and lapsed (mentally) into a visual approach. I descended below the GS by 300 ft before being queried by the controller who reminded me of the prescribed crossing altitude at the marker. I reacquired the GS, and was cleared to contact the tower, and thereafter was cleared to circle and land on runway 13 which was accomplished without incident. I am a relatively new instrument pilot with only about 25 hours of experience in actual IMC. On this flight, I was alone and somewhat apprehensive about making the approach at this strange airport although the conditions were well above the legal, and my personal minimums. The ceiling was ragged and broken, and I could see the ground on many occasions while being vectored to the south side of the field after approaching from the northeast. At one point, anxious to land, I considered asking the controller for an IFR descent below the cloud layer, so I might cancel IFR and make a visual approach to the airport, but decided to 'stick it out' and continue with the vectors to the south. However, I was subconsciously so anxious to get visual that when I finally had a clear view of the airport and the approach path I simply began flying a visual approach to the field, forgetting that I was still on an instrument approach segment and was required to remain on GS even if I could see the rest of the approach without need for the GS. This should not have happened, of course, and shows my inexperience and lack of discipline. Had I still been IMC, I am certain that I would have remained glued to the panel and the GS, but my desire to get visual caused me to give up on the approach without canceling IFR, which I could have done. Next time I will be more careful and diligent no matter what the outside WX is like.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DSNDED BELOW THE PUBLISHED ALT OUTSIDE THE LOM AT ABE.

Narrative: APCHING ABE, AND BEING VECTORED BY THE ABE APCH CTLR TO THE ILS RWY 6 APCH, I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH ABOUT 3 MI SW OF THE FAF (OM). LEAVING THE BOTTOMS OF THE BROKEN CEILING AT ABOUT 2400 FT MSL, BUT STILL OUTSIDE THE MARKER, I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT, AND LAPSED (MENTALLY) INTO A VISUAL APCH. I DSNDED BELOW THE GS BY 300 FT BEFORE BEING QUERIED BY THE CTLR WHO REMINDED ME OF THE PRESCRIBED XING ALT AT THE MARKER. I REACQUIRED THE GS, AND WAS CLRED TO CONTACT THE TWR, AND THEREAFTER WAS CLRED TO CIRCLE AND LAND ON RWY 13 WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I AM A RELATIVELY NEW INST PLT WITH ONLY ABOUT 25 HRS OF EXPERIENCE IN ACTUAL IMC. ON THIS FLT, I WAS ALONE AND SOMEWHAT APPREHENSIVE ABOUT MAKING THE APCH AT THIS STRANGE ARPT ALTHOUGH THE CONDITIONS WERE WELL ABOVE THE LEGAL, AND MY PERSONAL MINIMUMS. THE CEILING WAS RAGGED AND BROKEN, AND I COULD SEE THE GND ON MANY OCCASIONS WHILE BEING VECTORED TO THE S SIDE OF THE FIELD AFTER APCHING FROM THE NE. AT ONE POINT, ANXIOUS TO LAND, I CONSIDERED ASKING THE CTLR FOR AN IFR DSCNT BELOW THE CLOUD LAYER, SO I MIGHT CANCEL IFR AND MAKE A VISUAL APCH TO THE ARPT, BUT DECIDED TO 'STICK IT OUT' AND CONTINUE WITH THE VECTORS TO THE S. HOWEVER, I WAS SUBCONSCIOUSLY SO ANXIOUS TO GET VISUAL THAT WHEN I FINALLY HAD A CLR VIEW OF THE ARPT AND THE APCH PATH I SIMPLY BEGAN FLYING A VISUAL APCH TO THE FIELD, FORGETTING THAT I WAS STILL ON AN INST APCH SEGMENT AND WAS REQUIRED TO REMAIN ON GS EVEN IF I COULD SEE THE REST OF THE APCH WITHOUT NEED FOR THE GS. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, OF COURSE, AND SHOWS MY INEXPERIENCE AND LACK OF DISCIPLINE. HAD I STILL BEEN IMC, I AM CERTAIN THAT I WOULD HAVE REMAINED GLUED TO THE PANEL AND THE GS, BUT MY DESIRE TO GET VISUAL CAUSED ME TO GIVE UP ON THE APCH WITHOUT CANCELING IFR, WHICH I COULD HAVE DONE. NEXT TIME I WILL BE MORE CAREFUL AND DILIGENT NO MATTER WHAT THE OUTSIDE WX IS LIKE.

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.