Narrative:

I was returning from sbp to pao on a late evening VFR flight; with flight following services. The WX reported at pao was ceiling broken at 3000 ft; visibility 30 mi; wind calm. About 10 mi after passing sns; I decided to request a pop-up IFR clearance to pao; because it was getting dark and I was not sure I could find a hole to descend VFR to pao. I received the IFR clearance about 10 mi from docal intersection; while at 5000 ft -- lower was not possible due to clouds. I was cleared for the approach about 2 mi from docal intersection with instructions to cross docal intersection at or above 4400 ft. Shortly after crossing docal intersection; I entered IMC. The next step down waypoint is achoz at 3500 ft and 3 mi from docal and later pudby at 200 ft and 5 mi from achoz. I entered the right altitudes and vertical speed in autoplt while crossing docal; but it took me longer than necessary; therefore I started my descent with some delay. Furthermore; I didn't reduce the power enough; consequently my airspeed was too high. With that in mind; I was concerned to be much too high in my descent and I increased vertical speed. I broke out of IMC at about 2700 ft and immediately looked and checked were the airport was; but didn't reduce my vertical speed and didn't level off before reaching pudby. Because of that; I believe I crossed pudby at about 1500 ft; well below minimum altitude of 2000 ft. I think that the root cause of the error was not enough experience in the actual IMC. I have 60 hours simulated and only 12 hours actual IMC. Most of the actual IMC was with an instructor and this was my first IFR approach in actual conditions; at night; with my family with me. Although the WX was benign; this created a stress such that; when I broke off IMC; I mentally assumed to be under VFR and just continued my descent. Contributing factors: 1) decision to postpone requesting IFR clearance; which left me with less time to review and prepare for the approach. 2) forgetting to reduce the speed; which would give me more time for the descent. I am planning to take training flts in actual IMC conditions with and without the instructor to deal better with and minimize the associated stress.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEWLY MINTED IFR PLT BUSTS CROSSING RESTRS ON HURRIED; UNSTABILIZED GPS IAP TO PAO.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING FROM SBP TO PAO ON A LATE EVENING VFR FLT; WITH FLT FOLLOWING SVCS. THE WX RPTED AT PAO WAS CEILING BROKEN AT 3000 FT; VISIBILITY 30 MI; WIND CALM. ABOUT 10 MI AFTER PASSING SNS; I DECIDED TO REQUEST A POP-UP IFR CLRNC TO PAO; BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING DARK AND I WAS NOT SURE I COULD FIND A HOLE TO DSND VFR TO PAO. I RECEIVED THE IFR CLRNC ABOUT 10 MI FROM DOCAL INTXN; WHILE AT 5000 FT -- LOWER WAS NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO CLOUDS. I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH ABOUT 2 MI FROM DOCAL INTXN WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO CROSS DOCAL INTXN AT OR ABOVE 4400 FT. SHORTLY AFTER CROSSING DOCAL INTXN; I ENTERED IMC. THE NEXT STEP DOWN WAYPOINT IS ACHOZ AT 3500 FT AND 3 MI FROM DOCAL AND LATER PUDBY AT 200 FT AND 5 MI FROM ACHOZ. I ENTERED THE RIGHT ALTS AND VERT SPD IN AUTOPLT WHILE CROSSING DOCAL; BUT IT TOOK ME LONGER THAN NECESSARY; THEREFORE I STARTED MY DSCNT WITH SOME DELAY. FURTHERMORE; I DIDN'T REDUCE THE PWR ENOUGH; CONSEQUENTLY MY AIRSPEED WAS TOO HIGH. WITH THAT IN MIND; I WAS CONCERNED TO BE MUCH TOO HIGH IN MY DSCNT AND I INCREASED VERT SPD. I BROKE OUT OF IMC AT ABOUT 2700 FT AND IMMEDIATELY LOOKED AND CHKED WERE THE ARPT WAS; BUT DIDN'T REDUCE MY VERT SPD AND DIDN'T LEVEL OFF BEFORE REACHING PUDBY. BECAUSE OF THAT; I BELIEVE I CROSSED PUDBY AT ABOUT 1500 FT; WELL BELOW MINIMUM ALT OF 2000 FT. I THINK THAT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ERROR WAS NOT ENOUGH EXPERIENCE IN THE ACTUAL IMC. I HAVE 60 HRS SIMULATED AND ONLY 12 HRS ACTUAL IMC. MOST OF THE ACTUAL IMC WAS WITH AN INSTRUCTOR AND THIS WAS MY FIRST IFR APCH IN ACTUAL CONDITIONS; AT NIGHT; WITH MY FAMILY WITH ME. ALTHOUGH THE WX WAS BENIGN; THIS CREATED A STRESS SUCH THAT; WHEN I BROKE OFF IMC; I MENTALLY ASSUMED TO BE UNDER VFR AND JUST CONTINUED MY DSCNT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) DECISION TO POSTPONE REQUESTING IFR CLRNC; WHICH LEFT ME WITH LESS TIME TO REVIEW AND PREPARE FOR THE APCH. 2) FORGETTING TO REDUCE THE SPD; WHICH WOULD GIVE ME MORE TIME FOR THE DSCNT. I AM PLANNING TO TAKE TRAINING FLTS IN ACTUAL IMC CONDITIONS WITH AND WITHOUT THE INSTRUCTOR TO DEAL BETTER WITH AND MINIMIZE THE ASSOCIATED STRESS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.