A C172 pilot mistakenly believes that he is at the FAF, at which point he descended. The tower controller issued an altitude alert and the pilot climbed back to the correct altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	608203
Time
Date	200402
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pne.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl.tracon tower : pne.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 6 other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 470 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	608203
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While being vectored on the back course runway 6 at pne with phl approach control, the controller issued 4 mi from radar fix, junia, maintain 1800 ft, and join the localizer. I joined the localizer. Then the controller stated, switch to tower, cleared for the localizer approach. The back course runway 6 pne has a radar FAF of junia. I assumed since he cleared me for the approach I was at junia. I began my descent and switched to tower. On reaching 1300 ft, tower stated to check my altitude. I was 2 mi from junia and approach wanted me to check my altitude. I immediately climbed to 1800 ft and configured GPS for junia intersection. The remainder of the approach was uneventful. Contributing factors were I didn't brief the approach properly, GPS wasn't configured (behind the plane), my loss of situational awareness, and my assumption that cleared for the approach meant I was at the junia FAF intersection. Fortunately, it was early morning with not that much traffic in the vicinity and no obstructions to ruin my day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT MISTAKENLY BELIEVES THAT HE IS AT THE FAF, AT WHICH POINT HE DSNDED. THE TWR CTLR ISSUED AN ALT ALERT AND THE PLT CLBED BACK TO THE CORRECT ALT.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED ON THE BACK COURSE RWY 6 AT PNE WITH PHL APCH CTL, THE CTLR ISSUED 4 MI FROM RADAR FIX, JUNIA, MAINTAIN 1800 FT, AND JOIN THE LOC. I JOINED THE LOC. THEN THE CTLR STATED, SWITCH TO TWR, CLRED FOR THE LOC APCH. THE BACK COURSE RWY 6 PNE HAS A RADAR FAF OF JUNIA. I ASSUMED SINCE HE CLRED ME FOR THE APCH I WAS AT JUNIA. I BEGAN MY DSCNT AND SWITCHED TO TWR. ON REACHING 1300 FT, TWR STATED TO CHK MY ALT. I WAS 2 MI FROM JUNIA AND APCH WANTED ME TO CHK MY ALT. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO 1800 FT AND CONFIGURED GPS FOR JUNIA INTXN. THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE I DIDN'T BRIEF THE APCH PROPERLY, GPS WASN'T CONFIGURED (BEHIND THE PLANE), MY LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, AND MY ASSUMPTION THAT CLRED FOR THE APCH MEANT I WAS AT THE JUNIA FAF INTXN. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS EARLY MORNING WITH NOT THAT MUCH TFC IN THE VICINITY AND NO OBSTRUCTIONS TO RUIN MY DAY.

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.