PA-46 Malibu/Malibu Mirage/Malibu Matrix
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 4700; Flight Crew Type 251
Human-Machine Interface; Confusion; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Flight Crew FLC Overrode Automation; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Aircraft; Human Factors; Weather
I was vectored for the ILS. The aircraft did not capture so I turned the heading back on and held the course manually. The Pathway info showed me above the glideslope so I manually used the VVI to intercept my altitude. As I descended I drifted right of course and corrected slowly back to center. I went into the fog at 700 feet. While I was correcting back; I inadvertently allowed my altitude to go below the glidepath. About 3/4 mile out (300 agl as best I remember) ATC called to notify me of a 'low altitude warning'. I leveled and held that altitude until about 1/4 from the runway when I descended to minimums and landed.I did something wrong programming the G1000. I had the approach loaded and the map/flight plan screen split. I selected 'approach' when cleared for the approach but the aircraft was still in 'heading mode' and never made the turn. I thought it stayed in heading until captured then the heading light goes out and the aircraft goes into approach mode.The aircraft is Synthetic Vision equipped and capable of coupled approaches. Normally it tracks perfectly. I don't know why today was different. This scared me. Had it not been for Synthetic Vision I would not have completed the approach. I'm going to call a CFII when I get home and schedule a flight review even though I'm not due. The reason this bothers me so bad is because I've done it right so many other times...I'm not certain what I did wrong today.
When the autopilot of his Garmin G1000; Synthetic Vision equipped PA-46 pilot failed to capture the localizer and GS on an IMC ILS approach he attempted to manually manipulate the pitch and roll commands to follow ILS cues.  Ultimately too low; Tower provided a low altitude alert and he utilized the Synthetic Vision to avoid ground contact and completed the approach to visual conditions and a landing.