Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 8; Flight Crew Total 784; Flight Crew Type 651
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors
I passed the final approach fix (FAF) well below specified minimum altitude while flying the OXR VOR 25 approach.I had not flown this approach for a long time; and chose to do so as part of maintaining general IFR proficiency. I failed to achieve a stabilized approach while on the approach segment leading to the CMA VOR; which is the FAF. At one point I realized I was higher than intended; and started a too aggressive correction toward 2;000 FT; which is the FAF crossing minimum. By the time I realized I had failed to halt my descent at 2;000; the VOR was in the zone when neither the TO nor the FROM flag was showing. Thus I thought I might already be passed the FAF. I was not sure I had passed the FAF. I was not sure I had passed the FAF below minimums until informed by ATC a few moments later.
C172 pilot reported descending below the FAF crossing altitude during a practice VOR Runway 25 approach to OXR in day VMC. ATC detected the error.