Narrative:

At the beginning of an instrument cross country from hyw direct flo direct iso direct hyw, IFR flight plan, in hazy conditions with a scattered layer of clouds at 900-1000 ft MSL. Small aircraft X called up florence approach control requesting practice ILS approach. This was denied and a surveillance approach (no gyro) offered and accepted MDA 800 ft MSL. Missed approach runway threshold. At approximately 6 mi (aircraft not DME equipped) the ATC instructed aircraft to descend to published MDA. We (the pilots) commenced our descent at 800 FPM as the cfii was scanning both instruments and outside the aircraft. As we passed approximately 1400 ft MSL a cloud drifted to 1 side of our flight path. As it did I saw a 946 ft tower directly in our flight path. If we had carried on our descent as instructed we would have flown straight into it! The controller was totally at fault by clearing us to descend too early or assuming we were in VMC. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that reporter had called the FAA supervisor and the incident was investigated. The FAA supervisor stated the approach controller had issued descent clearance 1 mi early.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X HAD CONFLICT WITH RADIO TWR ON ASR APCH. APCH CTLR ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC 1 MI EARLY. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: AT THE BEGINNING OF AN INSTRUMENT XCOUNTRY FROM HYW DIRECT FLO DIRECT ISO DIRECT HYW, IFR FLT PLAN, IN HAZY CONDITIONS WITH A SCATTERED LAYER OF CLOUDS AT 900-1000 FT MSL. SMA X CALLED UP FLORENCE APCH CTL REQUESTING PRACTICE ILS APCH. THIS WAS DENIED AND A SURVEILLANCE APCH (NO GYRO) OFFERED AND ACCEPTED MDA 800 FT MSL. MISSED APCH RWY THRESHOLD. AT APPROX 6 MI (ACFT NOT DME EQUIPPED) THE ATC INSTRUCTED ACFT TO DSND TO PUBLISHED MDA. WE (THE PLTS) COMMENCED OUR DSCNT AT 800 FPM AS THE CFII WAS SCANNING BOTH INSTRUMENTS AND OUTSIDE THE ACFT. AS WE PASSED APPROX 1400 FT MSL A CLOUD DRIFTED TO 1 SIDE OF OUR FLT PATH. AS IT DID I SAW A 946 FT TWR DIRECTLY IN OUR FLT PATH. IF WE HAD CARRIED ON OUR DSCNT AS INSTRUCTED WE WOULD HAVE FLOWN STRAIGHT INTO IT! THE CTLR WAS TOTALLY AT FAULT BY CLRING US TO DSND TOO EARLY OR ASSUMING WE WERE IN VMC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT RPTR HAD CALLED THE FAA SUPVR AND THE INCIDENT WAS INVESTIGATED. THE FAA SUPVR STATED THE APCH CTLR HAD ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC 1 MI EARLY.

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.