SR22
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 23; Flight Crew Total 2090; Flight Crew Type 329
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; 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; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
The tower issued two low altitude alerts during practice instrument approaches. 1. The first alert was in the final phase of the GPS 32 approach. I had already broken out of the bases and was in visual conditions above the MDA with the runway in sight. The VASI indicated I was on the proper glide path. I did not understand why the alert was issued but initiated a climb and missed approach. 2. The second low altitude alert occurred on the next approach; my last of six that day. On the GPS 19 approach the tower issued the alert between as I was descending from 2;200 feet to 1;140 feet. I immediately began a climb and reached 1;500 feet right before I reached an intersection. I landed without incident. Upon landing I reviewed the approach chart and realized I had inadvertently started my altitude step downs one waypoint too soon. As a result I should have been at 2;200 feet and then started my decent to 1;140 feet. I had already started the decent to 1;140. In additional I realized during the final phase of the approach that I had descended below the circling minimums for the approach prior to landing on runway 32. I immediately corrected this error by climbing higher on downwind while circling.Realizing the critical nature of my mistakes; I am scheduling additional refresher training with my CFII.
The pilot of a Cirrus SR-22 received an altitude alert for an unknown reason; which led to a missed approach. On the subsequent approach; ATC issued a second altitude alert due to the pilot's inadvertent premature descent.