Narrative:

Bgm information 800' scattered, 1200 broken, 2300' overcast, 2 mi light snow, temperature 27, dew point 21, winds 270 at 8 KTS, altimeter 29.97, breaks in the overcast, NDB 34 approach in use, localizer 16/34 OTS, runway 34 plowed and sanded full width and length, braking action good reported by a veh. PF and PNF discussed possibility of using runway 28 due to surface wind component. Further inquiry with bgm approach confirmed runway 28 plowed and sanded full width and length and previous inbound company reported braking action as poor. Surface wind was also reported as unchanged. PF (PIC) requested and was cleared for VOR DME approach runway 28. PNF briefly studied the procedure, and then gave the approach plate to the PF. Due to the proximity of the airport, the high indicated airspeed, the excess altitude and the flight crew's anticipation of the ILS 34 approach, the workload of the flight crew was quite high. The PNF went off frequency to make the range call to company. The PF descended from the published segment altitude (3500' MSL) at the 18 DME position to the published straight in landing MDA of 2000' MSL. The FAF for the procedure was at the 13 DME position and the PF's premature descent put the aircraft 1500' below the published segment altitude. The airport was sighted prior to the vdp and the approach terminated uneventfully. Supplemental information from acn 104150: it was discovered by approach control just as we passed the final approach fix. I was pushing the aircraft to maintain schedule.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT. STARTED DESCENT BEFORE FAF CROSSING THE FAF 1500' LOW.

Narrative: BGM INFO 800' SCATTERED, 1200 BROKEN, 2300' OVCST, 2 MI LIGHT SNOW, TEMP 27, DEW POINT 21, WINDS 270 AT 8 KTS, ALTIMETER 29.97, BREAKS IN THE OVCST, NDB 34 APCH IN USE, LOC 16/34 OTS, RWY 34 PLOWED AND SANDED FULL WIDTH AND LENGTH, BRAKING ACTION GOOD RPTED BY A VEH. PF AND PNF DISCUSSED POSSIBILITY OF USING RWY 28 DUE TO SURFACE WIND COMPONENT. FURTHER INQUIRY WITH BGM APCH CONFIRMED RWY 28 PLOWED AND SANDED FULL WIDTH AND LENGTH AND PREVIOUS INBND COMPANY RPTED BRAKING ACTION AS POOR. SURFACE WIND WAS ALSO RPTED AS UNCHANGED. PF (PIC) REQUESTED AND WAS CLRED FOR VOR DME APCH RWY 28. PNF BRIEFLY STUDIED THE PROC, AND THEN GAVE THE APCH PLATE TO THE PF. DUE TO THE PROX OF THE ARPT, THE HIGH INDICATED AIRSPD, THE EXCESS ALT AND THE FLT CREW'S ANTICIPATION OF THE ILS 34 APCH, THE WORKLOAD OF THE FLT CREW WAS QUITE HIGH. THE PNF WENT OFF FREQ TO MAKE THE RANGE CALL TO COMPANY. THE PF DSNDED FROM THE PUBLISHED SEGMENT ALT (3500' MSL) AT THE 18 DME POS TO THE PUBLISHED STRAIGHT IN LNDG MDA OF 2000' MSL. THE FAF FOR THE PROC WAS AT THE 13 DME POS AND THE PF'S PREMATURE DSCNT PUT THE ACFT 1500' BELOW THE PUBLISHED SEGMENT ALT. THE ARPT WAS SIGHTED PRIOR TO THE VDP AND THE APCH TERMINATED UNEVENTFULLY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 104150: IT WAS DISCOVERED BY APCH CTL JUST AS WE PASSED THE FINAL APCH FIX. I WAS PUSHING THE ACFT TO MAINTAIN SCHEDULE.

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.