Narrative:

With WX briefings, I expected savannah, GA (my scheduled route stop) to be VFR conditions by the time I arrived. When informed by sav that they had gone IFR, I had to find an approach plate immediately. Conditions at that time were IMC, but I had been flying for 2 1/2 hours in solid IMC with first time passenger who had never been in a small plane before. In the ensuing confusion, if the controller had cleared me to 1600 ft to intercept the localizer, I missed that transmission. To compound the problem, I read the approach plate as 1100 ft and at that altitude I broke clear into VFR conditions. Lining up on the localizer, I drifted down to 900 ft about 6 mi out. At that point, the controller advised me that I was way below the 1600 ft approach altitude. I immediately climbed back up into IMC to 1600 ft and intercepted the GS then reported the OM and finished the approach to landing. I feel that when I descended below the 1600 ft approach intercept altitude by a couple of hundred ft, the controller could have informed me at that point. In those WX conditions, and under those circumstances, it was not the time for the controller to inform me belligerently that I had better fill out a NASA form. It should have been obvious to him that I politely answered and corrected the approach, finishing by the book. However, let me add that most controllers I have dealt with in the last 30 yrs have been very helpful, especially in adverse flight conditions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN UNEXPECTED IFR APCH RESULTS IN CFTT AND A COMPLAINT THAT THE ATC APCH CTLR COULD HAVE POINTED THE ERROR OUT EARLIER.

Narrative: WITH WX BRIEFINGS, I EXPECTED SAVANNAH, GA (MY SCHEDULED RTE STOP) TO BE VFR CONDITIONS BY THE TIME I ARRIVED. WHEN INFORMED BY SAV THAT THEY HAD GONE IFR, I HAD TO FIND AN APCH PLATE IMMEDIATELY. CONDITIONS AT THAT TIME WERE IMC, BUT I HAD BEEN FLYING FOR 2 1/2 HRS IN SOLID IMC WITH FIRST TIME PAX WHO HAD NEVER BEEN IN A SMALL PLANE BEFORE. IN THE ENSUING CONFUSION, IF THE CTLR HAD CLRED ME TO 1600 FT TO INTERCEPT THE LOC, I MISSED THAT XMISSION. TO COMPOUND THE PROB, I READ THE APCH PLATE AS 1100 FT AND AT THAT ALT I BROKE CLR INTO VFR CONDITIONS. LINING UP ON THE LOC, I DRIFTED DOWN TO 900 FT ABOUT 6 MI OUT. AT THAT POINT, THE CTLR ADVISED ME THAT I WAS WAY BELOW THE 1600 FT APCH ALT. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK UP INTO IMC TO 1600 FT AND INTERCEPTED THE GS THEN RPTED THE OM AND FINISHED THE APCH TO LNDG. I FEEL THAT WHEN I DSNDED BELOW THE 1600 FT APCH INTERCEPT ALT BY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED FT, THE CTLR COULD HAVE INFORMED ME AT THAT POINT. IN THOSE WX CONDITIONS, AND UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, IT WAS NOT THE TIME FOR THE CTLR TO INFORM ME BELLIGERENTLY THAT I HAD BETTER FILL OUT A NASA FORM. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS TO HIM THAT I POLITELY ANSWERED AND CORRECTED THE APCH, FINISHING BY THE BOOK. HOWEVER, LET ME ADD THAT MOST CTLRS I HAVE DEALT WITH IN THE LAST 30 YRS HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY IN ADVERSE FLT CONDITIONS.

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.