Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15; Flight Crew Total 20000; Flight Crew Type 200
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
Human Factors; Procedure; Chart Or Publication
On final vector into SMO I was given a quick vector to intercept final; descend from 6000 feet to 4000 feet and cleared for the approach. As a result; I crossed BEVEY about 800 feet high and fast. As I descended I went to full flaps and noticed my vacuum compass was 20 to 30 degrees off (probably due to the low power setting). More time was wasted confirming my lateral position. Upon contacting tower I was cleared for the straight in approach and cleared to land. Runway was in sight. A short time later tower gave me a low altitude alert and indicated that I was supposed to cross CULVE at 1120 feet. It is impossible to cross CULVE at 1120 feet (circling MDA) and land straight in. I was lower than I wanted to be when I got the alert from tower. Distraction due to high rate of descent and compass error did not help. ATC has to find a better way to bring in traffic without the ram dump approach. It would also help if an LPV approach was available.
C182 pilot reported being admonished by the SMO Tower Controller for crossing CULVE below 1120 feet during the VOR Approach to SMO in VMC. The VOR Approach is a circle to land only approach with an MDA of 680 feet.