Narrative:

We were on the localizer 15 approach to mtn with an 800 ft ceiling. Potomac approach cleared us for the approach, but did not hand us off to mtn tower. I became distraction trying to raise potomac on the radio and then trying to call mtn tower directly. I focused on the radio and forgot to monitor my altitude. My safety pilot finally pointed out that I was at 400 ft, which is about 150 ft below MDA, and was descending rapidly. Fortunately, we had broken out of the clouds and had the field in sight so I immediately climbed to a safe altitude and completed the approach and landing. If there hadn't been a second pilot aboard to monitor the approach, I might have flown a perfectly good airplane right into the ground! I forgot a fundamental rule of instrument flying: first you aviate (you fly the airplane under control), then you navigation (that is, keep the airplane in the right position and altitude). Only then do you try to communication. I allowed myself to get distraction over something that was not important. I should have either continued the approach, treating it as a 'lost communication' situation, or better yet, asked the second pilot to try to straighten out the handoff with approach. Not only did I become distraction, but I also failed to use all the resources at my disposal. I hope I learned a lesson today because I'm lucky to be alive!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 SINGLE PLT ON THE LOC APCH FOR RWY 15 AT MTN WAS ALERTED BY HIS SAFETY PLT THAT HE WAS TOO LOW.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE LOC 15 APCH TO MTN WITH AN 800 FT CEILING. POTOMAC APCH CLRED US FOR THE APCH, BUT DID NOT HAND US OFF TO MTN TWR. I BECAME DISTR TRYING TO RAISE POTOMAC ON THE RADIO AND THEN TRYING TO CALL MTN TWR DIRECTLY. I FOCUSED ON THE RADIO AND FORGOT TO MONITOR MY ALT. MY SAFETY PLT FINALLY POINTED OUT THAT I WAS AT 400 FT, WHICH IS ABOUT 150 FT BELOW MDA, AND WAS DSNDING RAPIDLY. FORTUNATELY, WE HAD BROKEN OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT SO I IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO A SAFE ALT AND COMPLETED THE APCH AND LNDG. IF THERE HADN'T BEEN A SECOND PLT ABOARD TO MONITOR THE APCH, I MIGHT HAVE FLOWN A PERFECTLY GOOD AIRPLANE RIGHT INTO THE GND! I FORGOT A FUNDAMENTAL RULE OF INST FLYING: FIRST YOU AVIATE (YOU FLY THE AIRPLANE UNDER CTL), THEN YOU NAV (THAT IS, KEEP THE AIRPLANE IN THE RIGHT POS AND ALT). ONLY THEN DO YOU TRY TO COM. I ALLOWED MYSELF TO GET DISTR OVER SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT IMPORTANT. I SHOULD HAVE EITHER CONTINUED THE APCH, TREATING IT AS A 'LOST COM' SIT, OR BETTER YET, ASKED THE SECOND PLT TO TRY TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE HDOF WITH APCH. NOT ONLY DID I BECOME DISTR, BUT I ALSO FAILED TO USE ALL THE RESOURCES AT MY DISPOSAL. I HOPE I LEARNED A LESSON TODAY BECAUSE I'M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE!

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.