Narrative:

While repositioning aircraft from vny smo (a 15 NM flight maximum) under visual conditions, we contacted smo tower approximately 6 mi out and was instructed to expect a right base entry to runway 21, and report a VFR chkpoint approximately 4 NM from field. We reported crossing the chkpoint and were cleared to land via a right base entry runway 21. I called for and completed the before landing checklist. By the time this was complete, I realized I was late starting my base to final turn. This resulted in me overshooting final, and caused me to assume a dogleg turn to final. This also caused me to descend below GS although from my offset position, left of centerline I could not see the PAPI's, I realized that I was below glide and added a moderate amount of power to arrest any further sink and increased the bank angle to approximately 30 degrees to reacquire centerline. Airspeed was stable at reference +15 KTS at this time. Our distance from the runway was approximately 3/4 NM. We promptly reacquired the centerline, at which time the PAPI was showing 3 red, changing to 2 red. I readjusted power for a normal descent, airspeed was reference +10. The remainder of the approach and subsequent landing were normal and without incident. Contributing factors were: 1) familiarity with this airport (I used to fly C172's out of here as a CFI), which perhaps led to some complacency. I may have started my base to final turn at a point that seemed ok for a 70 KT C172 versus a 140 KT westwind. 2) visibility may have been a factor, due T the fact that this was a right base entry, and my view across the cockpit of the runway was not the best. In the future I will always remember there are no 'east flts,' ask my copilot to call turns in r-hand traffic patterns, and remember, you can always 'go around.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A WW24 CREW LNDG AT SMO, DISTR BY OVERSHOOTING FINAL, ALSO DSNDED BELOW THE GS (PAPI).

Narrative: WHILE REPOSITIONING ACFT FROM VNY SMO (A 15 NM FLT MAX) UNDER VISUAL CONDITIONS, WE CONTACTED SMO TWR APPROX 6 MI OUT AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO EXPECT A R BASE ENTRY TO RWY 21, AND RPT A VFR CHKPOINT APPROX 4 NM FROM FIELD. WE RPTED XING THE CHKPOINT AND WERE CLRED TO LAND VIA A R BASE ENTRY RWY 21. I CALLED FOR AND COMPLETED THE BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST. BY THE TIME THIS WAS COMPLETE, I REALIZED I WAS LATE STARTING MY BASE TO FINAL TURN. THIS RESULTED IN ME OVERSHOOTING FINAL, AND CAUSED ME TO ASSUME A DOGLEG TURN TO FINAL. THIS ALSO CAUSED ME TO DSND BELOW GS ALTHOUGH FROM MY OFFSET POS, L OF CTRLINE I COULD NOT SEE THE PAPI'S, I REALIZED THAT I WAS BELOW GLIDE AND ADDED A MODERATE AMOUNT OF PWR TO ARREST ANY FURTHER SINK AND INCREASED THE BANK ANGLE TO APPROX 30 DEGS TO REACQUIRE CTRLINE. AIRSPD WAS STABLE AT REF +15 KTS AT THIS TIME. OUR DISTANCE FROM THE RWY WAS APPROX 3/4 NM. WE PROMPTLY REACQUIRED THE CTRLINE, AT WHICH TIME THE PAPI WAS SHOWING 3 RED, CHANGING TO 2 RED. I READJUSTED PWR FOR A NORMAL DSCNT, AIRSPD WAS REF +10. THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND SUBSEQUENT LNDG WERE NORMAL AND WITHOUT INCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) FAMILIARITY WITH THIS ARPT (I USED TO FLY C172'S OUT OF HERE AS A CFI), WHICH PERHAPS LED TO SOME COMPLACENCY. I MAY HAVE STARTED MY BASE TO FINAL TURN AT A POINT THAT SEEMED OK FOR A 70 KT C172 VERSUS A 140 KT WESTWIND. 2) VISIBILITY MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR, DUE T THE FACT THAT THIS WAS A R BASE ENTRY, AND MY VIEW ACROSS THE COCKPIT OF THE RWY WAS NOT THE BEST. IN THE FUTURE I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THERE ARE NO 'EAST FLTS,' ASK MY COPLT TO CALL TURNS IN R-HAND TFC PATTERNS, AND REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALWAYS 'GO 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.