Narrative:

After a long day of flying that started at XA00 when I left home; I made a mistake while programming the GPS (garmin 430) while on approach to lincoln (lnk). As I was getting vectored for the approach to lnk; I was also setting up the approach in the garmin 430. At 10 or 15 mi from clone; I was told to maintain 3000 ft until established on the approach. I flew inbound to cone and the needle on the CDI was centered. The GS was fully displaced up. As I got closer to clone; the GS started to come down. When it was centered; I started my descent. Unfortunately; I was not set up on the ILS frequency. I thought that the GPS automatically switched for me (my mistake; late and tired). I flew the GS or what I thought was a centered GS down to 500 ft AGL. At that point the garmin 430 showed me yellow terrain problems. I immediately initiated a climb and climbed back to 3000 ft MSL. At the same time the GPS went into terrain emergency; I got a panicked call from the tower controller. As I had already initiated the climb; I rogered the call and continued inbound on the ILS after switching the frequency on the ILS. I flew the ILS with no further problems. I am very glad that the GPS had terrain alert on it. I'm also very glad that the tower controllers took good care of me. I feel that my long day along with night IFR and a lot of pilot workload contributed heavily to my problem on the approach. I think that had I had an autoplt; taken a bit more time; and worked a bit more on my situational awareness; I would have caught my problems on the approach. I also think that one thing that contributed to my confusion was the green localizer performance with vertical guidance box on the garmin 430 display. I took that to mean that it was set up correctly. I also never heard any of the marker beacons while on the approach; but I know I turned that on. I realize that I was lucky and I hope that this report helps other pilots not make a mistake that was more of a tragedy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FATIGUE; BAD WEATHER AND LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH NAV EQUIPMENT RESULTS IN EARLY DESCENT AND TERRAIN WARNING INSTIGATED GAR FOR PA28 PLT.

Narrative: AFTER A LONG DAY OF FLYING THAT STARTED AT XA00 WHEN I LEFT HOME; I MADE A MISTAKE WHILE PROGRAMMING THE GPS (GARMIN 430) WHILE ON APCH TO LINCOLN (LNK). AS I WAS GETTING VECTORED FOR THE APCH TO LNK; I WAS ALSO SETTING UP THE APCH IN THE GARMIN 430. AT 10 OR 15 MI FROM CLONE; I WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH. I FLEW INBOUND TO CONE AND THE NEEDLE ON THE CDI WAS CTRED. THE GS WAS FULLY DISPLACED UP. AS I GOT CLOSER TO CLONE; THE GS STARTED TO COME DOWN. WHEN IT WAS CTRED; I STARTED MY DSCNT. UNFORTUNATELY; I WAS NOT SET UP ON THE ILS FREQ. I THOUGHT THAT THE GPS AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHED FOR ME (MY MISTAKE; LATE AND TIRED). I FLEW THE GS OR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A CTRED GS DOWN TO 500 FT AGL. AT THAT POINT THE GARMIN 430 SHOWED ME YELLOW TERRAIN PROBS. I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A CLB AND CLBED BACK TO 3000 FT MSL. AT THE SAME TIME THE GPS WENT INTO TERRAIN EMER; I GOT A PANICKED CALL FROM THE TWR CTLR. AS I HAD ALREADY INITIATED THE CLB; I ROGERED THE CALL AND CONTINUED INBOUND ON THE ILS AFTER SWITCHING THE FREQ ON THE ILS. I FLEW THE ILS WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. I AM VERY GLAD THAT THE GPS HAD TERRAIN ALERT ON IT. I'M ALSO VERY GLAD THAT THE TWR CTLRS TOOK GOOD CARE OF ME. I FEEL THAT MY LONG DAY ALONG WITH NIGHT IFR AND A LOT OF PLT WORKLOAD CONTRIBUTED HEAVILY TO MY PROB ON THE APCH. I THINK THAT HAD I HAD AN AUTOPLT; TAKEN A BIT MORE TIME; AND WORKED A BIT MORE ON MY SITUATIONAL AWARENESS; I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT MY PROBS ON THE APCH. I ALSO THINK THAT ONE THING THAT CONTRIBUTED TO MY CONFUSION WAS THE GREEN LOC PERFORMANCE WITH VERT GUIDANCE BOX ON THE GARMIN 430 DISPLAY. I TOOK THAT TO MEAN THAT IT WAS SET UP CORRECTLY. I ALSO NEVER HEARD ANY OF THE MARKER BEACONS WHILE ON THE APCH; BUT I KNOW I TURNED THAT ON. I REALIZE THAT I WAS LUCKY AND I HOPE THAT THIS RPT HELPS OTHER PLTS NOT MAKE A MISTAKE THAT WAS MORE OF A TRAGEDY.

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.