Narrative:

I am an instrument rated and current private pilot. I was assigned altitude of 7000' and was tracking V496 to leb VOR talking to boston center. 40 mi out, I obtained destination WX update from center which was ceiling 1000/1700/5000, visibility 6 mi and wind 210 at 4. I expected the ILS 18 approach and reviewed the plate and set up for it. I had never been to leb and was unfamiliar with the area. 20-25 mi from leb, it became dark. It was solid IFR with precipitation. There was turbulence and much attention was required to maintain heading, tracking and altitude. I was issued a clearance to hold on the published hold at leb VOR with efc. With cockpit workload increasing, I slowed to 90 KTS and retrimmed. With leb VOR approaching rapidly, I was told to expect VOR a approach and switch to boston center 134.7. Because of low light level, turbulence and cockpit workload and lack of time, I set up the hold and approach but was not able to review the plate adequately and missed the fine print 'final approach from holding pattern not authorized. Procedure turn required.' I incorrectly thought the holding pattern was in lieu of procedure turn. I flew 2 min and as was preparing to turn to intercept the inbound right (240 degree heading) when cleared by boston center for the approach and to cross the VOR at 5000' and contact leb tower. I managed to cross the VOR at approximately 5500' and reported VOR a inbound to leb tower and was told let plane break out at 2000'. I had some difficulty losing altitude, keeping speed down and tracking the right. 2 1/2 min from VOR I was about to declare a missed approach when broke out at approximately 2000' and was asked position by tower. I did not initially see field and was told to flash landing light and was told I was near approach end of runway 25 which I immediately visualized. I was advised by tower that I was in a good downwind for runway 7 and I circled to land on runway 7. I was asked by tower to call on phone. I was informed that a procedure turn was required in addition to the holding pattern. I was told I could have requested the ILS 18 but the VOR a approach was faster and therefore being used. Conclusion. I inadvertently flew the approach incorrectly by using the holding pattern in lieu of another procedure turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FAILED TO MAKE A PROC TURN AS REQUIRED ON IAP VOR 'A' APCH INTO LEB. PLT THOUGHT HOLDING PATTERN COULD BE USED IN PLACE OF A PROC TURN.

Narrative: I AM AN INSTRUMENT RATED AND CURRENT PRIVATE PLT. I WAS ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000' AND WAS TRACKING V496 TO LEB VOR TALKING TO BOSTON CTR. 40 MI OUT, I OBTAINED DEST WX UPDATE FROM CTR WHICH WAS CEILING 1000/1700/5000, VISIBILITY 6 MI AND WIND 210 AT 4. I EXPECTED THE ILS 18 APCH AND REVIEWED THE PLATE AND SET UP FOR IT. I HAD NEVER BEEN TO LEB AND WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. 20-25 MI FROM LEB, IT BECAME DARK. IT WAS SOLID IFR WITH PRECIPITATION. THERE WAS TURB AND MUCH ATTN WAS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN HDG, TRACKING AND ALT. I WAS ISSUED A CLRNC TO HOLD ON THE PUBLISHED HOLD AT LEB VOR WITH EFC. WITH COCKPIT WORKLOAD INCREASING, I SLOWED TO 90 KTS AND RETRIMMED. WITH LEB VOR APCHING RAPIDLY, I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT VOR A APCH AND SWITCH TO BOSTON CTR 134.7. BECAUSE OF LOW LIGHT LEVEL, TURB AND COCKPIT WORKLOAD AND LACK OF TIME, I SET UP THE HOLD AND APCH BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO REVIEW THE PLATE ADEQUATELY AND MISSED THE FINE PRINT 'FINAL APCH FROM HOLDING PATTERN NOT AUTHORIZED. PROC TURN REQUIRED.' I INCORRECTLY THOUGHT THE HOLDING PATTERN WAS IN LIEU OF PROC TURN. I FLEW 2 MIN AND AS WAS PREPARING TO TURN TO INTERCEPT THE INBND R (240 DEG HDG) WHEN CLRED BY BOSTON CTR FOR THE APCH AND TO CROSS THE VOR AT 5000' AND CONTACT LEB TWR. I MANAGED TO CROSS THE VOR AT APPROX 5500' AND RPTED VOR A INBND TO LEB TWR AND WAS TOLD LET PLANE BREAK OUT AT 2000'. I HAD SOME DIFFICULTY LOSING ALT, KEEPING SPD DOWN AND TRACKING THE R. 2 1/2 MIN FROM VOR I WAS ABOUT TO DECLARE A MISSED APCH WHEN BROKE OUT AT APPROX 2000' AND WAS ASKED POS BY TWR. I DID NOT INITIALLY SEE FIELD AND WAS TOLD TO FLASH LNDG LIGHT AND WAS TOLD I WAS NEAR APCH END OF RWY 25 WHICH I IMMEDIATELY VISUALIZED. I WAS ADVISED BY TWR THAT I WAS IN A GOOD DOWNWIND FOR RWY 7 AND I CIRCLED TO LAND ON RWY 7. I WAS ASKED BY TWR TO CALL ON PHONE. I WAS INFORMED THAT A PROC TURN WAS REQUIRED IN ADDITION TO THE HOLDING PATTERN. I WAS TOLD I COULD HAVE REQUESTED THE ILS 18 BUT THE VOR A APCH WAS FASTER AND THEREFORE BEING USED. CONCLUSION. I INADVERTENTLY FLEW THE APCH INCORRECTLY BY USING THE HOLDING PATTERN IN LIEU OF ANOTHER PROC TURN.

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