Narrative:

Cleared for an ILS runway 05 orf. At 1000' MSL both pilots received localizer and G/south flags on both receivers. A go around was initiated and communications were re-established with approach control. Approach said that the facility (ILS 05) was in alarm and it would be reset. Vectors for another ILS 05 were given and we set up to fly another ILS 05. On dog leg to final, again, localizer and G/south flags appeared. Approach control was queried and they confirmed that the facility was again in alarm and said that we could intercept and fly the approach for VOR 05. The PNF selected VOR on both receivers and briefed the approach. I was level at 1600' MSL on a dog leg to final. The other pilot briefed minimums of 420' MSL and a step down of 1100' at the FAF and he set 1100' in the altitude alert. I misunderstood 1100' for 700' and descended to 800' before ATC call with a low altitude alert. This situation could have been avoided if we had abandoned the second approach and taken time to each pull out the approach chart for the VOR 05 and brief the approach, rather than one pilot talk the other through. Following the low altitude call from ATC the runway was acquired and an uneventful landing was accomplished.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER MISREADING THE ALT SET IN THE ALT ALERTER THE REPORTER DESCENDED BELOW THE MINIMUM REQUIRED ALT OUTSIDE THE FINAL APCH FIX THUS ACTIVATING THE ATC LOW ALT ALERT.

Narrative: CLRED FOR AN ILS RWY 05 ORF. AT 1000' MSL BOTH PLTS RECEIVED LOC AND G/S FLAGS ON BOTH RECEIVERS. A GAR WAS INITIATED AND COMS WERE RE-ESTABLISHED WITH APCH CTL. APCH SAID THAT THE FAC (ILS 05) WAS IN ALARM AND IT WOULD BE RESET. VECTORS FOR ANOTHER ILS 05 WERE GIVEN AND WE SET UP TO FLY ANOTHER ILS 05. ON DOG LEG TO FINAL, AGAIN, LOC AND G/S FLAGS APPEARED. APCH CTL WAS QUERIED AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE FAC WAS AGAIN IN ALARM AND SAID THAT WE COULD INTERCEPT AND FLY THE APCH FOR VOR 05. THE PNF SELECTED VOR ON BOTH RECEIVERS AND BRIEFED THE APCH. I WAS LEVEL AT 1600' MSL ON A DOG LEG TO FINAL. THE OTHER PLT BRIEFED MINIMUMS OF 420' MSL AND A STEP DOWN OF 1100' AT THE FAF AND HE SET 1100' IN THE ALT ALERT. I MISUNDERSTOOD 1100' FOR 700' AND DSNDED TO 800' BEFORE ATC CALL WITH A LOW ALT ALERT. THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF WE HAD ABANDONED THE SECOND APCH AND TAKEN TIME TO EACH PULL OUT THE APCH CHART FOR THE VOR 05 AND BRIEF THE APCH, RATHER THAN ONE PLT TALK THE OTHER THROUGH. FOLLOWING THE LOW ALT CALL FROM ATC THE RWY WAS ACQUIRED AND AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.