Narrative:

Piper lance made 3 consecutive VOR/DME 36 approachs to bolivar (M17) and executed a missed approach all 3 times. No WX reporting was available at M17. Twice controller a vectored aircraft for approach without difficulty. Immediately after the second missed approach, approach controller B took over and vectored us outbound, parallel and uncomfortably near the inbound course. Controller B issued an intercept turn to the FAF along with instructions to maintain 3000 ft until established, change to local advisory frequency, and then additional multiple cancellation options. Clearance was accepted. After accepting clearance, and unaware that the aircraft push-to-talk switch was active, the PIC made disparaging reference to 'being flown right through the final approach course.' PIC was embarrassed when controller tersely answered the inadvertent comment, thereby acknowledging having heard it. Visual conditions were intermittent with some broken and scattered clouds, light rain and haze. MDA is 700 ft AGL. Runway was clearly sighted and descent for normal landing was initiated. When visibility changed and runway sighting became intermittent, a missed approach was initiated. After reporting back to controller B to report the miss, and after receiving miss instructions, PIC was advised, 'you need to read your approach plates better. You descended early and set off a low altitude warning here. That scares me and I don't like it.' PIC acknowledged controller's concern and apologized for any concern caused. PIC does not believe descent was premature as visual conditions prevailed at the time of descent. PIC believes that his big mouth caused animosity and a distraction as well as contributing to a breakdown in useful communication with ATC. The flight was not in danger, and all missed approachs were executed conservatively.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PREMATURE DSCNT FOR VOR-DME RWY 36 APCH AT M17, MO, BY THE PLT OF A PA32R DETECTED BY APCH CTLR AT SGF, MO.

Narrative: PIPER LANCE MADE 3 CONSECUTIVE VOR/DME 36 APCHS TO BOLIVAR (M17) AND EXECUTED A MISSED APCH ALL 3 TIMES. NO WX RPTING WAS AVAILABLE AT M17. TWICE CTLR A VECTORED ACFT FOR APCH WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SECOND MISSED APCH, APCH CTLR B TOOK OVER AND VECTORED US OUTBOUND, PARALLEL AND UNCOMFORTABLY NEAR THE INBOUND COURSE. CTLR B ISSUED AN INTERCEPT TURN TO THE FAF ALONG WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED, CHANGE TO LCL ADVISORY FREQ, AND THEN ADDITIONAL MULTIPLE CANCELLATION OPTIONS. CLRNC WAS ACCEPTED. AFTER ACCEPTING CLRNC, AND UNAWARE THAT THE ACFT PUSH-TO-TALK SWITCH WAS ACTIVE, THE PIC MADE DISPARAGING REF TO 'BEING FLOWN RIGHT THROUGH THE FINAL APCH COURSE.' PIC WAS EMBARRASSED WHEN CTLR TERSELY ANSWERED THE INADVERTENT COMMENT, THEREBY ACKNOWLEDGING HAVING HEARD IT. VISUAL CONDITIONS WERE INTERMITTENT WITH SOME BROKEN AND SCATTERED CLOUDS, LIGHT RAIN AND HAZE. MDA IS 700 FT AGL. RWY WAS CLRLY SIGHTED AND DSCNT FOR NORMAL LNDG WAS INITIATED. WHEN VISIBILITY CHANGED AND RWY SIGHTING BECAME INTERMITTENT, A MISSED APCH WAS INITIATED. AFTER RPTING BACK TO CTLR B TO RPT THE MISS, AND AFTER RECEIVING MISS INSTRUCTIONS, PIC WAS ADVISED, 'YOU NEED TO READ YOUR APCH PLATES BETTER. YOU DSNDED EARLY AND SET OFF A LOW ALT WARNING HERE. THAT SCARES ME AND I DON'T LIKE IT.' PIC ACKNOWLEDGED CTLR'S CONCERN AND APOLOGIZED FOR ANY CONCERN CAUSED. PIC DOES NOT BELIEVE DSCNT WAS PREMATURE AS VISUAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF DSCNT. PIC BELIEVES THAT HIS BIG MOUTH CAUSED ANIMOSITY AND A DISTR AS WELL AS CONTRIBUTING TO A BREAKDOWN IN USEFUL COM WITH ATC. THE FLT WAS NOT IN DANGER, AND ALL MISSED APCHS WERE EXECUTED CONSERVATIVELY.

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.