MSAW activated when reporter crossed the FAF fix 1000' below designated crossing altitude.

Attributes
ACN	98538
Time
Date	198811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hub airport : hou
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 600 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah tower : hou
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 41 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 44
ASRS Report	98538
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : overshoot other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I filed for IFR clearance prior to takeoff at XA20 hours. I received my clearance enroute to houston. Cleared direct hobby heading 040' climb and maintain 4000'. As I neared hobby, I was cleared descend and maintain 2000'. The ATIS information was declaring runway 12R ILS in use. I was being given vectors to intercept the glideslope for runway 12R. Prior to intercept, the ILS was declared inoperable and I was given instructions that the VOR approach would be used. During the approach, I was high and to the left of the localizer. The tower asked if I were turning to the right to intercept? I said that I was. The tower then gave instructions to climb to 2000' for re-sequencing. On the second approach, I did not correctly identify the final approach fix. (Posty intersection). This intersection is at the intercept of the humble 175 degree radial. And hobby 300 degree radial minimum descent altitude at posty is 1600'. The tower asks for altitude verification? I say 800'. Tower says I show you at 600'. Tower then advises to climb to 1000', I comply! Tower advises: low level alarm! I climb to 1000' and continue the approach. Tower asks do you have the airport in sight? I say negative later I say small aircraft has the airport in sight. Tower says roger, cleared to land, contact ground on 121.9. No further communication was maintained with the tower. I was not asked to report to, or to call the tower. Conclusions and observations: although the responsibility of identifying the final approach fix lies with the pilot, a couple of things perhaps would have made this situation avoidable. First, more advanced warning that the ILS was inoperable would have given more time to the pilot to prepare for the alternate approach. Secondly, the controller waiting until the aircraft is considerably below the approach minimums before asking for altitude verification resulted in calling for a major correction rather than a minor adjustment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MSAW ACTIVATED WHEN REPORTER CROSSED THE FAF FIX 1000' BELOW DESIGNATED CROSSING ALTITUDE.

Narrative: I FILED FOR IFR CLRNC PRIOR TO TKOF AT XA20 HRS. I RECEIVED MY CLRNC ENROUTE TO HOUSTON. CLRED DIRECT HOBBY HDG 040' CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 4000'. AS I NEARED HOBBY, I WAS CLRED DESCEND AND MAINTAIN 2000'. THE ATIS INFO WAS DECLARING RWY 12R ILS IN USE. I WAS BEING GIVEN VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE GLIDESLOPE FOR RWY 12R. PRIOR TO INTERCEPT, THE ILS WAS DECLARED INOPERABLE AND I WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS THAT THE VOR APPROACH WOULD BE USED. DURING THE APPROACH, I WAS HIGH AND TO THE LEFT OF THE LOC. THE TWR ASKED IF I WERE TURNING TO THE RIGHT TO INTERCEPT? I SAID THAT I WAS. THE TWR THEN GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO CLIMB TO 2000' FOR RE-SEQUENCING. ON THE SECOND APPROACH, I DID NOT CORRECTLY IDENTIFY THE FINAL APPROACH FIX. (POSTY INTXN). THIS INTXN IS AT THE INTERCEPT OF THE HUMBLE 175 DEG RADIAL. AND HOBBY 300 DEG RADIAL MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE AT POSTY IS 1600'. THE TWR ASKS FOR ALTITUDE VERIFICATION? I SAY 800'. TWR SAYS I SHOW YOU AT 600'. TWR THEN ADVISES TO CLIMB TO 1000', I COMPLY! TWR ADVISES: LOW LEVEL ALARM! I CLIMB TO 1000' AND CONTINUE THE APPROACH. TWR ASKS DO YOU HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT? I SAY NEGATIVE LATER I SAY SMA HAS THE ARPT IN SIGHT. TWR SAYS ROGER, CLRED TO LAND, CONTACT GND ON 121.9. NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION WAS MAINTAINED WITH THE TWR. I WAS NOT ASKED TO REPORT TO, OR TO CALL THE TWR. CONCLUSIONS AND OBSERVATIONS: ALTHOUGH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF IDENTIFYING THE FINAL APPROACH FIX LIES WITH THE PLT, A COUPLE OF THINGS PERHAPS WOULD HAVE MADE THIS SITUATION AVOIDABLE. FIRST, MORE ADVANCED WARNING THAT THE ILS WAS INOPERABLE WOULD HAVE GIVEN MORE TIME TO THE PLT TO PREPARE FOR THE ALTERNATE APPROACH. SECONDLY, THE CTLR WAITING UNTIL THE ACFT IS CONSIDERABLY BELOW THE APPROACH MINIMUMS BEFORE ASKING FOR ALTITUDE VERIFICATION RESULTED IN CALLING FOR A MAJOR CORRECTION RATHER THAN A MINOR ADJUSTMENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.