Narrative:

I air filed for the localizer/DME approach to hayward via the san jose VOR and radar vectors to intercept. The altitude was 4000 ft. I intercepted approach course and contacted tower according to procedure. I was not as familiar with the VOR/DME procedure as I thought having flown the VOR a approach more. I summarily through recall applied VOR a data to the localizer/DME rather than accept the localizer/DME information per southeast. Believing I had no altitude restr I reported on the localizer starting my descent at the 11- 9 DME intercept point wanting to see ground and runway as quickly as possible and set up to circle and land. The field was at minimums. Needless to say I broke the 2600 ft FAF altitude minimums, and tripping the low altitude alert. Upon notification and directive to pull up I concurred returning to 2600 ft immediately and querying the tower. I realized my error, concurred such, declared 'I cannot complete the approach as published' and declared a missed approach radar vectors back to reintercept and fly the approach a second time again according to ATC procedure. On the second attempt I flew the course accurately and correctly without any traffic incident or conflicts to a safe conclusion, also no system sequencing or traffic deviations occurred. In conclusion I misconstrued the information on the approach plate, applied too much information and erred. I also did not pay attention to the applied graphic code pertinent to the particular approach nor did I realize altitude information as depicted by the combined data of altimeter and DME in relation to the procedure. The second time upon review of the data I did and was successful in completion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR BECAME CONFUSED ON WHICH APCH PROCS TO USE AND DSNDED TOO LOW ON THE LOC/DME APCH, SETTING OFF THE ATC LOW ALT ALERT. APCH CTLR INTERVENED AND ORDERED A PULL UP.

Narrative: I AIR FILED FOR THE LOC/DME APCH TO HAYWARD VIA THE SAN JOSE VOR AND RADAR VECTORS TO INTERCEPT. THE ALT WAS 4000 FT. I INTERCEPTED APCH COURSE AND CONTACTED TWR ACCORDING TO PROC. I WAS NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THE VOR/DME PROC AS I THOUGHT HAVING FLOWN THE VOR A APCH MORE. I SUMMARILY THROUGH RECALL APPLIED VOR A DATA TO THE LOC/DME RATHER THAN ACCEPT THE LOC/DME INFO PER SE. BELIEVING I HAD NO ALT RESTR I RPTED ON THE LOC STARTING MY DSCNT AT THE 11- 9 DME INTERCEPT POINT WANTING TO SEE GND AND RWY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND SET UP TO CIRCLE AND LAND. THE FIELD WAS AT MINIMUMS. NEEDLESS TO SAY I BROKE THE 2600 FT FAF ALT MINIMUMS, AND TRIPPING THE LOW ALT ALERT. UPON NOTIFICATION AND DIRECTIVE TO PULL UP I CONCURRED RETURNING TO 2600 FT IMMEDIATELY AND QUERYING THE TWR. I REALIZED MY ERROR, CONCURRED SUCH, DECLARED 'I CANNOT COMPLETE THE APCH AS PUBLISHED' AND DECLARED A MISSED APCH RADAR VECTORS BACK TO REINTERCEPT AND FLY THE APCH A SECOND TIME AGAIN ACCORDING TO ATC PROC. ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT I FLEW THE COURSE ACCURATELY AND CORRECTLY WITHOUT ANY TFC INCIDENT OR CONFLICTS TO A SAFE CONCLUSION, ALSO NO SYS SEQUENCING OR TFC DEVS OCCURRED. IN CONCLUSION I MISCONSTRUED THE INFO ON THE APCH PLATE, APPLIED TOO MUCH INFO AND ERRED. I ALSO DID NOT PAY ATTN TO THE APPLIED GRAPHIC CODE PERTINENT TO THE PARTICULAR APCH NOR DID I REALIZE ALT INFO AS DEPICTED BY THE COMBINED DATA OF ALTIMETER AND DME IN RELATION TO THE PROC. THE SECOND TIME UPON REVIEW OF THE DATA I DID AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN COMPLETION.

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.