Narrative:

On my return to bhm, I encountered unforecast rain and turbulence as I neared bhm. After several vectors by approach for spacing, I was finally cleared for the approach. Prior to the OM I studied the approach plate to check the descent profile. I commenced descent to the first step down altitude. During the descent I noticed that my attitude indicator was not agreeing with the other instruments, so I retrieved my cover from the glove box and covered the instrument face. About this time bhm approach called and asked my altitude, I responded 'passing through 1900.' I then realized 1900 was 100 ft below the prescribed altitude, so I climbed back to 2000 to wait for the descent to the MDA which was 1200 ft MSL. On the descent I encountered very heavy rain, and immediate turbulence, and noticed that quite a bit of right crab was needed to track the localizer. At 1220 ft, I still did not have the runway environment in sight, and I was considerably south of the localizer. As I started correcting to return to the localizer, bhm tower called and advised that they had received a low altitude alert on my aircraft. Sure enough my altimeter indicated approximately 1100 ft. I called for a missed approach, but tower asked me to level off at MDA and fly runway heading and let them know if I saw the 'lights.' after a few seconds I did see the 'lights,' advised tower and was cleared to land. When the ai failed, I should have requested an ASR approach and notified ATC of the failure. I also should have gotten more than the 6 hours sleep I got the previous night, and I should have eaten breakfast. I believe that fatigue, and hunger played a major role in my poor performance during this flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT INSTRUCTOR PLT GETS INVOLVED WITH UNEXPECTED WX FACTORS UPON HIS RETURN TO HIS HOME ARPT.

Narrative: ON MY RETURN TO BHM, I ENCOUNTERED UNFORECAST RAIN AND TURB AS I NEARED BHM. AFTER SEVERAL VECTORS BY APCH FOR SPACING, I WAS FINALLY CLRED FOR THE APCH. PRIOR TO THE OM I STUDIED THE APCH PLATE TO CHK THE DSCNT PROFILE. I COMMENCED DSCNT TO THE FIRST STEP DOWN ALT. DURING THE DSCNT I NOTICED THAT MY ATTITUDE INDICATOR WAS NOT AGREEING WITH THE OTHER INSTS, SO I RETRIEVED MY COVER FROM THE GLOVE BOX AND COVERED THE INSTR FACE. ABOUT THIS TIME BHM APCH CALLED AND ASKED MY ALT, I RESPONDED 'PASSING THROUGH 1900.' I THEN REALIZED 1900 WAS 100 FT BELOW THE PRESCRIBED ALT, SO I CLBED BACK TO 2000 TO WAIT FOR THE DSCNT TO THE MDA WHICH WAS 1200 FT MSL. ON THE DSCNT I ENCOUNTERED VERY HVY RAIN, AND IMMEDIATE TURB, AND NOTICED THAT QUITE A BIT OF R CRAB WAS NEEDED TO TRACK THE LOC. AT 1220 FT, I STILL DID NOT HAVE THE RWY ENVIRONMENT IN SIGHT, AND I WAS CONSIDERABLY S OF THE LOC. AS I STARTED CORRECTING TO RETURN TO THE LOC, BHM TWR CALLED AND ADVISED THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED A LOW ALT ALERT ON MY ACFT. SURE ENOUGH MY ALTIMETER INDICATED APPROX 1100 FT. I CALLED FOR A MISSED APCH, BUT TWR ASKED ME TO LEVEL OFF AT MDA AND FLY RWY HDG AND LET THEM KNOW IF I SAW THE 'LIGHTS.' AFTER A FEW SECONDS I DID SEE THE 'LIGHTS,' ADVISED TWR AND WAS CLRED TO LAND. WHEN THE AI FAILED, I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED AN ASR APCH AND NOTIFIED ATC OF THE FAILURE. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE THAN THE 6 HRS SLEEP I GOT THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, AND I SHOULD HAVE EATEN BREAKFAST. I BELIEVE THAT FATIGUE, AND HUNGER PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN MY POOR PERFORMANCE DURING THIS FLT.

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.