PA-28 pilot reported flying within 200 feet of the control tower during a visual approach.

Attributes
ACN	1433917
Time
Date	201703
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Landing
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Private
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 4 Flight Crew Total 95 Flight Crew Type 95
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Track / Heading All Types Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Miss Distance	Horizontal 200 Vertical 250

Narrative:

After handoff from approach control to tower; tower cleared pilot to enter downwind leg of traffic pattern for runway xyr (right traffic). Upon descent; pilot leveled below 3443 MSL traffic pattern altitude (to approximately 3100 MSL) and approximately half the distance from the runway than appropriate. Pilot discovered altitude and distance error when approximately 500 horizontal feet from abeam the control tower (2850 MSL height); and passed tower within approximately 200 horizontal feet and 250 vertical feet. Tower notified pilot that he was 'a little low and narrow;' and authorized a 270 left turn for base leg to correct altitude and position. Pilot complied and resumed landing procedures.cause and corrective action: pilot was in a faster descent than anticipated due to incorrect power setting and did not recheck altitude or position when near the field. Pilot must plan for power settings and descent more closely and sooner; as well as more frequently verify location relevant to the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA-28 pilot reported flying within 200 feet of the control tower during a visual approach.

Narrative: After handoff from Approach Control to Tower; Tower cleared pilot to enter downwind leg of traffic pattern for runway XYR (right traffic). Upon descent; pilot leveled below 3443 MSL Traffic Pattern Altitude (to approximately 3100 MSL) and approximately half the distance from the runway than appropriate. Pilot discovered altitude and distance error when approximately 500 horizontal feet from abeam the control tower (2850 MSL height); and passed tower within approximately 200 horizontal feet and 250 vertical feet. Tower notified pilot that he was 'a little low and narrow;' and authorized a 270 left turn for base leg to correct altitude and position. Pilot complied and resumed landing procedures.Cause and corrective action: Pilot was in a faster descent than anticipated due to incorrect power setting and did not recheck altitude or position when near the field. Pilot must plan for power settings and descent more closely and sooner; as well as more frequently verify location relevant to the runway.

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.