Narrative:

En route from jms, nd, to hde, northeast, possible inadvertent premature descent from assigned altitude in conjunction with IAP for hde. After obtaining the automated WX report from hde, pilot requested and received a change in routing clearance to proceed from the present position to the ear VOR, then direct to hde in anticipation of the VOR DME approach to holdrege. Descent clearance was received to 4500 ft MSL until the ear VOR. Pilot specifically requested the VOR DME approach to hde. After the aircraft reached the ear VOR, which is the IAF for the VOR DME approach to hde, a descent was begun to 3800 ft MSL, the minimum altitude specified for the initial approach segment, under the belief that the approach clearance had been received. Shortly after the descent from 4500 ft was begun, the ATC center advised that the aircraft was cleared for the approach. The timing of this clearance, coupled with the pilot's request specifically for the VOR DME approach and the 4500 ft altitude assignment until the VOR raised question in the pilot's mind as to whether the descent was premature. The pilot acknowledged the clearance for the approach, which was completed uneventfully, followed by a normal landing at holdrege. When the hde airport was sighted and VFR conditions could be maintained to the airport, the pilot unsuccessfully attempted to cancel the IFR flight plan with ZMP. However, because of the location of the ZDV rco, the pilot was able to cancel his IFR flight plan with ZDV, and was advised that denver would notify minneapolis of the cancellation. The remainder of the flight to the destination airport (hde) was uneventful. Contributing factors: fatigue -- a 14 hour day. Illness of family member. Concern over the trend for deteriorating WX conditions at the destination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN AERO COMMANDER 690 DSNDED FOR A VOR DME APCH JUST PRIOR TO BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM JMS, ND, TO HDE, NE, POSSIBLE INADVERTENT PREMATURE DSCNT FROM ASSIGNED ALT IN CONJUNCTION WITH IAP FOR HDE. AFTER OBTAINING THE AUTOMATED WX RPT FROM HDE, PLT REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A CHANGE IN ROUTING CLRNC TO PROCEED FROM THE PRESENT POS TO THE EAR VOR, THEN DIRECT TO HDE IN ANTICIPATION OF THE VOR DME APCH TO HOLDREGE. DSCNT CLRNC WAS RECEIVED TO 4500 FT MSL UNTIL THE EAR VOR. PLT SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THE VOR DME APCH TO HDE. AFTER THE ACFT REACHED THE EAR VOR, WHICH IS THE IAF FOR THE VOR DME APCH TO HDE, A DSCNT WAS BEGUN TO 3800 FT MSL, THE MINIMUM ALT SPECIFIED FOR THE INITIAL APCH SEGMENT, UNDER THE BELIEF THAT THE APCH CLRNC HAD BEEN RECEIVED. SHORTLY AFTER THE DSCNT FROM 4500 FT WAS BEGUN, THE ATC CTR ADVISED THAT THE ACFT WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH. THE TIMING OF THIS CLRNC, COUPLED WITH THE PLT'S REQUEST SPECIFICALLY FOR THE VOR DME APCH AND THE 4500 FT ALT ASSIGNMENT UNTIL THE VOR RAISED QUESTION IN THE PLT'S MIND AS TO WHETHER THE DSCNT WAS PREMATURE. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC FOR THE APCH, WHICH WAS COMPLETED UNEVENTFULLY, FOLLOWED BY A NORMAL LNDG AT HOLDREGE. WHEN THE HDE ARPT WAS SIGHTED AND VFR CONDITIONS COULD BE MAINTAINED TO THE ARPT, THE PLT UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO CANCEL THE IFR FLT PLAN WITH ZMP. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE ZDV RCO, THE PLT WAS ABLE TO CANCEL HIS IFR FLT PLAN WITH ZDV, AND WAS ADVISED THAT DENVER WOULD NOTIFY MINNEAPOLIS OF THE CANCELLATION. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT TO THE DEST ARPT (HDE) WAS UNEVENTFUL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: FATIGUE -- A 14 HR DAY. ILLNESS OF FAMILY MEMBER. CONCERN OVER THE TREND FOR DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS AT THE DEST.

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.