Narrative:

Upon arrival at emt on a VFR flight, ATIS was calling sky partially obscured, 2 1/2 mi in smoke and haze. (Top of haze layer was about 3500' and visibility at that altitude was 20-30 mi.) at 4000', and over the field, I reported to emt tower and requested a special VFR clearance into emt. Tower notified me that there were at least 4 other aircraft circling VFR above the field waiting for specials and there would be at least a 20 min delay, or longer before I could expect a clearance to land. I then contacted ont approach and after several standbys I requested and received the VOR a approach into el monte, with radar vectors to the final approach course. Although I am rated and current for IFR, I have logged less than 4 hours actual, and most of my approachs have been under the hood. Yesterday's problems began after crossing the VOR and then starting my descent too soon, receiving a low altitude alert, before crossing the final approach fix. In retrospect, my lack of actual IFR approachs resulted in my looking out the window in what was almost VFR conditions for familiar landmarks, and not staying on the instruments as I should. I would have made a better approach yesterday if I had worn my hood, and stayed inside the cockpit rather than looking out the window and facing the sun through the smog. For help in similar situations, I plan on riding with an instrument and making a series of approachs, VFR, west/O the hood. I need to get used to the idea of going down to minimums west/O looking out the window to see how things are going.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT DESCENT BELOW CHARTED ALT BEFORE CROSSING FAF.

Narrative: UPON ARR AT EMT ON A VFR FLT, ATIS WAS CALLING SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED, 2 1/2 MI IN SMOKE AND HAZE. (TOP OF HAZE LAYER WAS ABOUT 3500' AND VIS AT THAT ALT WAS 20-30 MI.) AT 4000', AND OVER THE FIELD, I RPTED TO EMT TWR AND REQUESTED A SPECIAL VFR CLRNC INTO EMT. TWR NOTIFIED ME THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST 4 OTHER ACFT CIRCLING VFR ABOVE THE FIELD WAITING FOR SPECIALS AND THERE WOULD BE AT LEAST A 20 MIN DELAY, OR LONGER BEFORE I COULD EXPECT A CLRNC TO LAND. I THEN CONTACTED ONT APCH AND AFTER SEVERAL STANDBYS I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED THE VOR A APCH INTO EL MONTE, WITH RADAR VECTORS TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE. ALTHOUGH I AM RATED AND CURRENT FOR IFR, I HAVE LOGGED LESS THAN 4 HRS ACTUAL, AND MOST OF MY APCHS HAVE BEEN UNDER THE HOOD. YESTERDAY'S PROBS BEGAN AFTER XING THE VOR AND THEN STARTING MY DSCNT TOO SOON, RECEIVING A LOW ALT ALERT, BEFORE XING THE FINAL APCH FIX. IN RETROSPECT, MY LACK OF ACTUAL IFR APCHS RESULTED IN MY LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW IN WHAT WAS ALMOST VFR CONDITIONS FOR FAMILIAR LANDMARKS, AND NOT STAYING ON THE INSTRUMENTS AS I SHOULD. I WOULD HAVE MADE A BETTER APCH YESTERDAY IF I HAD WORN MY HOOD, AND STAYED INSIDE THE COCKPIT RATHER THAN LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AND FACING THE SUN THROUGH THE SMOG. FOR HELP IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS, I PLAN ON RIDING WITH AN INSTR AND MAKING A SERIES OF APCHS, VFR, W/O THE HOOD. I NEED TO GET USED TO THE IDEA OF GOING DOWN TO MINIMUMS W/O LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.