A pilot approaching hqz was issued a low altitude alert after descending to 1;200 ft from the assign...

Attributes
ACN	1162036
Time
Date	201403
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	HQZ.Airport
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft High Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Descent Initial Approach
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Private
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 10.4 Flight Crew Total 489 Flight Crew Type 182
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT

Narrative:

I was approaching during daylight on an IFR flight plan. The ceiling was reported at 1;200 ft with tops at 3;500 ft and I was expecting the ILS runway 17. While descending to 2;000 ft through the clouds and finishing my approach set up on the avionics; dallas approach instructed me to maintain 2;000 ft; vectored me to the localizer; and then told me to join the localizer for the ILS runway 17. Then approach told me to report visual of the runway. At this point I had conflicting information from my primary and secondary navigation; a garmin 430 waas and a localizer with glideslope. Believing that I was on a full ILS approach; I had descended to 1;200 ft where the ceiling allowed only partial views of the ground. Approach issued a low terrain warning; instruction to return to 2;000 ft and vectors back to the IAF for a full ILS approach. I saw that my primary navigation had not been set to make the correct frequency active; so I corrected that and then the approach and landing with no further problems. This was my first landing at mesquite; texas; and while I was distracted by trying to see the runway; I forgot one step in the approach setup. From now on when I arrive at a new field with ceilings less than 2;000 ft; I will request a full instrument approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A pilot approaching HQZ was issued a low altitude alert after descending to 1;200 FT from the assigned 2;000 FT with an incorrect ILS frequency selected.

Narrative: I was approaching during daylight on an IFR flight plan. The ceiling was reported at 1;200 FT with tops at 3;500 FT and I was expecting the ILS Runway 17. While descending to 2;000 FT through the clouds and finishing my approach set up on the avionics; Dallas Approach instructed me to maintain 2;000 FT; vectored me to the localizer; and then told me to join the localizer for the ILS Runway 17. Then Approach told me to report visual of the runway. At this point I had conflicting information from my primary and secondary NAV; a Garmin 430 WAAS and a localizer with glideslope. Believing that I was on a full ILS approach; I had descended to 1;200 FT where the ceiling allowed only partial views of the ground. Approach issued a low terrain warning; instruction to return to 2;000 FT and vectors back to the IAF for a full ILS approach. I saw that my primary NAV had not been set to make the correct frequency active; so I corrected that and then the approach and landing with no further problems. This was my first landing at Mesquite; Texas; and while I was distracted by trying to see the runway; I forgot one step in the approach setup. From now on when I arrive at a new field with ceilings less than 2;000 FT; I will request a full instrument approach.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

A pilot approaching hqz was issued a low altitude alert after descending to 1;200 ft from the assigned 2;000 ft with an incorrect ILS frequency selected.