Controller responds to altitude alert and gets aircraft back to proper altitude.

Attributes
ACN	278054
Time
Date	199407
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hya
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pvd
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing : missed approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	278054
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

On jul/tue/94, filed IFR from 4b8 to cqx after obtaining WX briefing (WX not as good as forecast). Controller vectored me for VFR approach to cqx, but WX was IMC. ADF became inoperative but came back on and an NDB-a approach was initiated. Declared a 'missed approach' when airport was not visible at minimum descent altitude and asked for the alternate (hya). Was given 3000 ft and vectors for localizer runway 24 (GS was OTS). Then given descent to 1700 ft until established on localizer. While maneuvering to capture localizer, much traffic was being handled and some instructions were confusing because I had to ask several times if instructions were for 'MM.' also, was asked 'on approach' to tune in ATIS. While all this was transpiring, my vertical compass started spinning and I was unable to reset my directional gyroscope. The turn and bank stopped indicating and my electric and manual trim was binding. With all this confusion, I obviously left my minimum altitude. The controller advised me of an 'altitude alert' and ordered me to 3000 ft and turned me over to another controller who gave me vectors for another approach. Approach was completed to minimums in spite of continuing problems. Aircraft was taxied to a repair facility for service where an FAA inspector questioned me extensively and indicated he would not file a violation. Obviously, I allowed my distraction with the instrument malfunctions and confusing controller instructions to break the cardinal altitude rule.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR RESPONDS TO ALT ALERT AND GETS ACFT BACK TO PROPER ALT.

Narrative: ON JUL/TUE/94, FILED IFR FROM 4B8 TO CQX AFTER OBTAINING WX BRIEFING (WX NOT AS GOOD AS FORECAST). CTLR VECTORED ME FOR VFR APCH TO CQX, BUT WX WAS IMC. ADF BECAME INOP BUT CAME BACK ON AND AN NDB-A APCH WAS INITIATED. DECLARED A 'MISSED APCH' WHEN ARPT WAS NOT VISIBLE AT MINIMUM DSCNT ALT AND ASKED FOR THE ALTERNATE (HYA). WAS GIVEN 3000 FT AND VECTORS FOR LOC RWY 24 (GS WAS OTS). THEN GIVEN DSCNT TO 1700 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON LOC. WHILE MANEUVERING TO CAPTURE LOC, MUCH TFC WAS BEING HANDLED AND SOME INSTRUCTIONS WERE CONFUSING BECAUSE I HAD TO ASK SEVERAL TIMES IF INSTRUCTIONS WERE FOR 'MM.' ALSO, WAS ASKED 'ON APCH' TO TUNE IN ATIS. WHILE ALL THIS WAS TRANSPIRING, MY VERT COMPASS STARTED SPINNING AND I WAS UNABLE TO RESET MY DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE. THE TURN AND BANK STOPPED INDICATING AND MY ELECTRIC AND MANUAL TRIM WAS BINDING. WITH ALL THIS CONFUSION, I OBVIOUSLY LEFT MY MINIMUM ALT. THE CTLR ADVISED ME OF AN 'ALT ALERT' AND ORDERED ME TO 3000 FT AND TURNED ME OVER TO ANOTHER CTLR WHO GAVE ME VECTORS FOR ANOTHER APCH. APCH WAS COMPLETED TO MINIMUMS IN SPITE OF CONTINUING PROBS. ACFT WAS TAXIED TO A REPAIR FACILITY FOR SVC WHERE AN FAA INSPECTOR QUESTIONED ME EXTENSIVELY AND INDICATED HE WOULD NOT FILE A VIOLATION. OBVIOUSLY, I ALLOWED MY DISTR WITH THE INST MALFUNCTIONS AND CONFUSING CTLR INSTRUCTIONS TO BREAK THE CARDINAL ALT RULE.

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.