Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 125; Flight Crew Type 125
Training / Qualification; Other / Unknown; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors
I; the pilot in command; was on a cross country flight to Lee County Airport and was cleared by Indianapolis Center for the RNAV approach to Runway 25; Lee County Airport (0VG). Upon receiving clearance; having misread the approach plate; I descended to 5;400 FT MSL. From the northeasterly direction I was arriving the minimum safe altitude within 30 nautical miles of the initial approach fix HUXAM was 6;100 FT. I also switched to the CTAF frequency for Lee County airport after being cleared for the approach. I was contacted by a Beechcraft; who had been instructed by Center to tell me to return to Center frequency. I did so; and was instructed to return to the correct Minimum Safe Altitude by Indianapolis Center. I climbed back to the correct minimum safe altitude. I then completed the rest of the approach and the return flight without further problems.
C172 pilot reports being cleared for the RNAV Runway 25 approach to 0VG from the northeast and descending to 5;400 FT prior to reaching HUXAM and switching to CTAF without informing ATC. ATC is able to correct the deviation by relaying information through another aircraft.