SMA PLT MISUNDERSTANDS A 'LOW APCH' CLRNC AND MAKES A FULL STOP LNDG.

Narrative

BEING IN THE TFC PATTERN FOR TOUCH AND GOES; I WAS CLRED FOR A LOW APCH. AT THIS TIME I LANDED THE ACFT. I DIDN'T LAND IN BLATANT DISREGARD TO THE INSTRUCTIONS. I LANDED BECAUSE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE DEFINITION OF THE TERM; 'LOW APCH.' PLAIN AND SIMPLE IGNORANCE ON MY PART. I TOOK THE INSTRUCTIONS LITERALLY; AND CAME IN AS LOW AS I THOUGHT PRACTICAL AND STILL BE SAFE. HAVING LANDED THE TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO TAXI CLR OF THE RWY; THAT I HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A LOW APCH ONLY! NATURALLY I COMPLIED. AT WHICH TIME I CONTACTED GND CTL AND RETURNED TO THE RAMP (FBO). HAVING SECURED THE ACFT; I CONTACTED A CFI FOR THE PROPER PROC IN REGARD TO A LOW APCH. HE ENLIGHTENED ME. AT THIS TIME I CONTACTED THE CTL TWR; AND IN FACT TALKED TO THE CTLR THAT I HAD DISREGARDED; AND EXPLAINED THE SIT. HE SEEMED TO ACCEPT MY APOLOGY VERY GRACIOUSLY AND STATED THAT HE WAS QUITE BUSY AT THE TIME AND HAD AN ACFT; FASTER THAN ME DIRECTLY BEHIND ME. I ASSURED HIM I UNDERSTOOD AND DIDN'T TAKE THE SIT LIGHTLY; THAT I HAD LANDED STRICTLY BECAUSE OF IGNORANCE; NOT BECAUSE I JUST CHOSE TO DISREGARD HIM. SINCE; I HAVE REFERRED TO FAR-AIM 95 PAGE 494 PARAGRAPH 4-61; 'LOW APCH.' I ASSURE YOU I HAVE THOROUGHLY REVIEWED AND UNDERSTAND THIS PARAGRAPH.