C172 pilot descended below MDA during a VOR-a approach to fbl in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	513646
Time
Date	200106
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fbl.airport
State Reference	MN
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : m98.tracon artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 58 flight time total : 1481 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	513646
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on an IFR training mission. At the end of the flight, I executed the VOR-a approach into fbl. I was turning base to final and realized I was below the MDA during the circling maneuver, although for how [long] I'm not sure. I lost communication with approach prior to reaching the FAF where I was to execute 2 turns in a hold. Before shooting approach, as well as WX well below what had been forecast, I feel were contributing agents to me being overloaded and not maintaining MDA. This was also the first non precision approach that I'd ever executed to very near minimums. Circling over the airport I fixated on watching the airport and didn't make any altimeter xchks until turning final. I need to keep up xchks all the way around.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT DSNDED BELOW MDA DURING A VOR-A APCH TO FBL IN IMC.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR TRAINING MISSION. AT THE END OF THE FLT, I EXECUTED THE VOR-A APCH INTO FBL. I WAS TURNING BASE TO FINAL AND REALIZED I WAS BELOW THE MDA DURING THE CIRCLING MANEUVER, ALTHOUGH FOR HOW [LONG] I'M NOT SURE. I LOST COM WITH APCH PRIOR TO REACHING THE FAF WHERE I WAS TO EXECUTE 2 TURNS IN A HOLD. BEFORE SHOOTING APCH, AS WELL AS WX WELL BELOW WHAT HAD BEEN FORECAST, I FEEL WERE CONTRIBUTING AGENTS TO ME BEING OVERLOADED AND NOT MAINTAINING MDA. THIS WAS ALSO THE FIRST NON PRECISION APCH THAT I'D EVER EXECUTED TO VERY NEAR MINIMUMS. CIRCLING OVER THE ARPT I FIXATED ON WATCHING THE ARPT AND DIDN'T MAKE ANY ALTIMETER XCHKS UNTIL TURNING FINAL. I NEED TO KEEP UP XCHKS ALL THE WAY AROUND.

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.