PA32 pilot reported receiving a low altitude alert from ATC when he descended below charted altitude...

Attributes
ACN	1299979
Time
Date	201510
Place
Locale Reference	SBA.Airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga/6X
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 31 Flight Crew Total 1610 Flight Crew Type 1500
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT

Narrative:

I was flying IFR to sba. While initially told to expect a visual approach to sba; a heavy rain shower developed and I was repeatedly vectored far to the south of course; and over the pacific ocean; for faster traffic following. I was then cleared for the VOR25 approach and vectored toward the course from a position far to the south over the ocean; and descended prematurely by several miles from 2;100 feet AGL. I should have realized that I was not yet at zacks; but I was still in the visual approach mindset; and descended where I would usually do so for the visual approach. I frequently fly the visual approach into sba. I was given a low altitude alert; and climbed back to the minimum altitude before declaring the airport in sight and landing on a visual approach.when assigned the VOR approach; I should have gone completely into the full mental mode for that approach; despite the unusual entry procedure. I realize that delaying vectors save time in comparison to holding. Even when far over the ocean; it is necessary to observe the minimum altitudes for procedure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 pilot reported receiving a low altitude alert from ATC when he descended below charted altitude on an instrument approach to SBA.

Narrative: I was flying IFR to SBA. While initially told to expect a visual approach to SBA; a heavy rain shower developed and I was repeatedly vectored far to the south of course; and over the Pacific Ocean; for faster traffic following. I was then cleared for the VOR25 approach and vectored toward the course from a position far to the south over the ocean; and descended prematurely by several miles from 2;100 feet AGL. I should have realized that I was not yet at ZACKS; but I was still in the visual approach mindset; and descended where I would usually do so for the visual approach. I frequently fly the visual approach into SBA. I was given a low altitude alert; and climbed back to the minimum altitude before declaring the airport in sight and landing on a visual approach.When assigned the VOR approach; I should have gone completely into the full mental mode for that approach; despite the unusual entry procedure. I realize that delaying vectors save time in comparison to holding. Even when far over the ocean; it is necessary to observe the minimum altitudes for procedure.

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.

PA32 pilot reported receiving a low altitude alert from ATC when he descended below charted altitude on an instrument approach to sba.