Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 10; Flight Crew Total 3000; Flight Crew Type 2300
Distraction; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure; Weather
Chain of Events:Advised by Tower upon approach that a runway inspection was being conducted; cleared to overfly the runway at 800 feet MSL; then make left pattern until runway inspection was completed. I descended to the 800 feet but; upon level off; was subsequently blinded by the sun (I was flying west and it was approaching evening). As a result; I was sun-blinded and didn't see the altimeter for a few moments -- when I could see it again it was unwinding toward 450 feet as I approached the runway. I immediately added power and pulled up to regain the assigned 800 feet I was to overfly the runway. No violation occurred as I did cross the threshold (and did overfly the runway) at the assigned 800 feet. Apparently the tower controller concurred; remaining cheerful; friendly; and very helpful in cutting short my pattern to expedite my arrival as the runway inspection was concluded (I was allowed to turn downwind; cleared to land; after only needing to overfly a few feet of the runway).Human Performance Considerations:I was sun-blinded upon level off; as the sun then appeared suddenly in my flight path after being shielded by the roof line in the descending approach. I had not yet trimmed the aircraft for level flight; so it seems the manual pullback on the yoke was relaxed without my awareness while being distracted/blinded by the sun. I was aware of the hazard and tried to look to the side for orientation while reaching to block the sun with the visor and my hand; whereupon I regained sight of the altimeter and corrected.What can be done to prevent recurrence:Remember to preemptively pull down visor in such an approach. (It is my habit to do so; but didn't this time because it didn't seem quite late enough to worry about it.) I'm sharing this to alert others to this potential problem.
Pilot reported sun in eyes interfered with seeing the altimeter; resulting in a descent towards the ground at low altitude.