Small Aircraft
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 16; Flight Crew Total 1175; Flight Crew Type 935
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors
I was on an IFR direct flight plan. Since I was in 5/5 VMC conditions; and there was no other observed traffic in the vicinity of the airport; I cancelled IFR approximately 10-12 miles from the airport after having it in sight. I elected to enter the pattern on an extended left base for landing on Runway XX and made the appropriate radio call on the CTAF frequency. While on base; I began to descend below 1;032 feet MSL (the approximate normal pattern altitude) to approximately 700 feet MSL and initiated a left turn to final; approximately 2 miles from the XX runway threshold. As I made the turn to final; I allowed my altitude to fall to approximately 400 feet MSL (this was directly over the waterway; so it was also approximately 400 feet AGL). I made my final approach radio call and upon realizing I was somewhat low and below the desired glidepath on final. I initiated a correction and maintained that altitude until I was able to intercept the correct glidepath and had a red and white indication on the airport Runway XX PAPI. At that point I was perhaps a little over a mile from the airport threshold. From there I proceeded to a normal final approach and landing. My flight hours shown above are approximate; I am away from home as I file this report and thus do not have access to my logbook.
Pilot reported descent below safe altitude while on base and final.