Altitude excursion by a citation ii flight crew outside the LOM for an approach to hou, tx.

Attributes
ACN	606437
Time
Date	200401
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation II S2/Bravo
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60.5 flight time total : 8226 flight time type : 2548
ASRS Report	606437
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : msaw other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on approach. Approach, 'turn right 300 degrees, intercept localizer, fly inbound, maintain 2000 ft until established on the localizer and cleared for approach.' once established, I descended down to 1500 ft. Approach notified that they had a 'low altitude alert' and I climbed back up to 2000 ft. I looked at the approach plate and I was not yet at the marker where I could descend down. I was a couple of mi outside of the marker before I could descend down to 1500 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT EXCURSION BY A CITATION II FLT CREW OUTSIDE THE LOM FOR AN APCH TO HOU, TX.

Narrative: I WAS ON APCH. APCH, 'TURN R 300 DEGS, INTERCEPT LOC, FLY INBOUND, MAINTAIN 2000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC AND CLRED FOR APCH.' ONCE ESTABLISHED, I DSNDED DOWN TO 1500 FT. APCH NOTIFIED THAT THEY HAD A 'LOW ALT ALERT' AND I CLBED BACK UP TO 2000 FT. I LOOKED AT THE APCH PLATE AND I WAS NOT YET AT THE MARKER WHERE I COULD DSND DOWN. I WAS A COUPLE OF MI OUTSIDE OF THE MARKER BEFORE I COULD DSND DOWN TO 1500 FT.

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.