Small transport pilot enters VMC and descends visual prior to notifying ATC. Alarms sound as making ...

Attributes
ACN	202411
Time
Date	199202
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smx
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2800 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : vbg tower : smx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 1771 flight time type : 455
ASRS Report	202411
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Smx localizer DME (back course) - a approach to runway 30 smx. Between koaks and camco on the approach course I entered VFR conditions during the descent from 4600 at koaks and prior to the 3000 required for camco and I had the airport in sight. I continued a VFR descent to land but did not call the tower to report 'VFR - airport in sight' quick enough. The VFR descent path I was then flying went below the published IFR step-down approach prior to reaching camco. This triggered the alarms at vandenberg approach. The smx tower called to relay a vandenberg caution to 'pull-up' as I was trying to call the tower to report 'VFR.' when I responded to the tower with 'airport in sight' I was cleared to land by the smx tower. Vandenberg approach asked me to call them after landing, which I did. The telephone conversation with a vandenberg approach controller centered on what triggered their alarms. When they learned I was VFR at the time they thanked me for the call and implied no further interest. I believe the procedural mistake I made was to start the VFR descent to the landing before I notified the tower that I was in VFR conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT PLT ENTERS VMC AND DSNDS VISUAL PRIOR TO NOTIFYING ATC. ALARMS SOUND AS MAKING CONTACT.

Narrative: SMX LOC DME (BACK COURSE) - A APCH TO RWY 30 SMX. BTWN KOAKS AND CAMCO ON THE APCH COURSE I ENTERED VFR CONDITIONS DURING THE DSCNT FROM 4600 AT KOAKS AND PRIOR TO THE 3000 REQUIRED FOR CAMCO AND I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I CONTINUED A VFR DSCNT TO LAND BUT DID NOT CALL THE TWR TO RPT 'VFR - ARPT IN SIGHT' QUICK ENOUGH. THE VFR DSCNT PATH I WAS THEN FLYING WENT BELOW THE PUBLISHED IFR STEP-DOWN APCH PRIOR TO REACHING CAMCO. THIS TRIGGERED THE ALARMS AT VANDENBERG APCH. THE SMX TWR CALLED TO RELAY A VANDENBERG CAUTION TO 'PULL-UP' AS I WAS TRYING TO CALL THE TWR TO RPT 'VFR.' WHEN I RESPONDED TO THE TWR WITH 'ARPT IN SIGHT' I WAS CLRED TO LAND BY THE SMX TWR. VANDENBERG APCH ASKED ME TO CALL THEM AFTER LNDG, WHICH I DID. THE TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH A VANDENBERG APCH CTLR CTRED ON WHAT TRIGGERED THEIR ALARMS. WHEN THEY LEARNED I WAS VFR AT THE TIME THEY THANKED ME FOR THE CALL AND IMPLIED NO FURTHER INTEREST. I BELIEVE THE PROCEDURAL MISTAKE I MADE WAS TO START THE VFR DSCNT TO THE LNDG BEFORE I NOTIFIED THE TWR THAT I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS.

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.

Small transport pilot enters VMC and descends visual prior to notifying ATC. Alarms sound as making contact.