Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Situational Awareness; Workload
Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors; Weather
I was on an IFR flight plan. I descended into the clouds at about 5500 feet; and was cleared for the ILS 11 approach. Bases were reported at 600'. Minimums for the approach were 200'. I was given instructions to maintain 3000' until established. This was my first time flying an approach in this particular aircraft; and it only had a single axis autopilot (my usual aircraft has dual axis). I intercepted the inbound course high above the glidepath and started to descend. Within a minute; I noted that I was high above the glidepath and I was too close to the airport to continue to safely descend; so I executed the missed approach and informed ATC that I needed to try again.Mistake #1 that set up the rest of this flight... As I reviewed the initial error with my radar track (later on the ground); I realize now that ATC had likely intended and expected me to fly the full approach with a procedure turn. I thought I was being given a direct intercept to the final approach course; so I did not fly the full approach the first time; and that is why I was too high.After this initial missed approach; I accepted another clearance for the full approach with procedure turn. That approach and one more subsequent approach also ended in missed approaches with my altitude too high. As I was hand flying the aircraft for much of the time; I misread the chart and did not realize that I should have been descending to 1300' before glideslope intercept. On one attempt; ATC offered a DME arc as an alternative as it would have given me a more natural intercept without requiring a quick descent from 3000 to 1300'. I declined this offer; as I did not want to reprogram the GPS while hand flying in IMC. At one point; I may have become slightly disoriented while hand flying; and I had to recover from a slight unusual attitude in IMC. I engaged the autopilot in ROL mode to regain my bearings. I noted that the CDI and Glideslope indicator seemed to jump in and out on occasion; and the autopilot would not accurately track the inbound course in either APR or NAV mode. I had to hand fly.I declined the offer of a VFR alternate from ATC; as the closest VFR airport was 200 miles away. I would not have had enough fuel to fly there.On my final attempt at an approach; I decided to descend below the clouds as much as possible while still over water so that I could establish visual reference with the ground without risk of obstructions. I intentionally descended below the glidepath while following my course on Foreflight so that I could establish contact with the ground. I did break out and establish contact with the ground; and I followed the CDI to the airport. ATC gave me a low altitude warning and instructed me to climb to 3000'. I declined; and let them know that I had the airport in sight. Visibility was good below the clouds. This entire ordeal had at least two human causes. My initial expectation of a direct approach caused the initial missed approach. My subsequent stress of hand flying in IMC caused me to misread the chart and remain too high to intercept on the next two approaches. I overcorrected my course adjustments; and never stabilized on any approach. I initially expected this to be an easy garden variety ILS approach; and was not prepared for hand flying an unfamiliar airplane in IMC.
C172 pilot reported difficulty successfully completing an approach in IFR conditions; and at one point was issued a low altitude alert by ATC.