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Fatigued BE36 pilot descends 1000 ft below minimum altitude on intermediate leg of GPS-a approach to miv.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 669647 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200508 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : vcn.vortac |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 600 msl bound upper : 1600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : acy.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Bonanza 36 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 720 flight time type : 250 |
| ASRS Report | 669647 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : gps other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While on an IFR flight plan and practicing multiple approachs into miv; I realized I had inadvertently descended well below a required minimum altitude. Atlantic city approach had cleared me for the VOR or GPS-a approach and told me to maintain 2000 ft until crossing vcn and told me to switch over to advisory frequency. Prior to crossing vcn; I checked the MDA for the approach and saw 600 ft. After crossing vcn; I descended to 600 ft. I then checked the GPS for my distance from the airport so I could report it on CTAF. It was at that point I saw I was 3 mi from viner intersection and should have been at 1600 ft. I was 1000 ft too low! I immediately started a climb back to 1600 ft but did not reach it before the intersection. I then descended back to 600 ft to complete the approach which ended in a missed approach. I believe there were several contributing factors that led to this incident. First was my fatigue from working a long day and not getting adequate sleep the night before. Second was my lack of preparation for the approach by not adequately reviewing the approach plate and seeing the correct altitudes to maintain. Third was doing multiple approachs in a short period of time. This could all have been avoided had I not undertaken the flight in my fatigued condition.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FATIGUED BE36 PLT DSNDS 1000 FT BELOW MINIMUM ALT ON INTERMEDIATE LEG OF GPS-A APCH TO MIV.
Narrative: WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND PRACTICING MULTIPLE APCHS INTO MIV; I REALIZED I HAD INADVERTENTLY DSNDED WELL BELOW A REQUIRED MINIMUM ALT. ATLANTIC CITY APCH HAD CLRED ME FOR THE VOR OR GPS-A APCH AND TOLD ME TO MAINTAIN 2000 FT UNTIL XING VCN AND TOLD ME TO SWITCH OVER TO ADVISORY FREQ. PRIOR TO XING VCN; I CHKED THE MDA FOR THE APCH AND SAW 600 FT. AFTER XING VCN; I DSNDED TO 600 FT. I THEN CHKED THE GPS FOR MY DISTANCE FROM THE ARPT SO I COULD RPT IT ON CTAF. IT WAS AT THAT POINT I SAW I WAS 3 MI FROM VINER INTXN AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 1600 FT. I WAS 1000 FT TOO LOW! I IMMEDIATELY STARTED A CLB BACK TO 1600 FT BUT DID NOT REACH IT BEFORE THE INTXN. I THEN DSNDED BACK TO 600 FT TO COMPLETE THE APCH WHICH ENDED IN A MISSED APCH. I BELIEVE THERE WERE SEVERAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT LED TO THIS INCIDENT. FIRST WAS MY FATIGUE FROM WORKING A LONG DAY AND NOT GETTING ADEQUATE SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE. SECOND WAS MY LACK OF PREPARATION FOR THE APCH BY NOT ADEQUATELY REVIEWING THE APCH PLATE AND SEEING THE CORRECT ALTS TO MAINTAIN. THIRD WAS DOING MULTIPLE APCHS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THIS COULD ALL HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD I NOT UNDERTAKEN THE FLT IN MY FATIGUED CONDITION.
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.