Narrative:

We were cleared for a visual approach for runway 17R at denver. We were descending from 9;000 feet northeast of the airport on a heading to intercept the localizer. My captain set 6;000 feet in the alt alert and continued down. I set 7;000 feet stating it was as low as we could go at joules and it was 8;000 feet minimum outside where we would intercept. He said he was visual and wanted to intercept from below. As I tried to understand what he was going to accomplish he rolled out on runway 17L and commented; 'why no localizer?' I said it was the wrong runway [and we needed] to come right. Checked the frequency and inbound course. He made a radical turn back to the west. And by the time I caught up ATC questioned our altitude; [which was] 1;000 feet. I punched the altitude hold button and responded to the controller that we would level. The captain disconnected the autopilot and flew the visual approach without another problem. I think I should have insisted on the the 8;000 feet outside of joules (the other way point one out from joules); but became concerned with the lateral issue of intercepting the localizer. Another factor was that the captain was getting a line check from a check airman on board and had not flown in 4 months. He had failed a simulator check prior to this flight; I believe. I had not flown in 4 months either and had only two or three flights total in the right seat. I am a downgraded captain. It would have been better to pick a more seasoned; current first officer. I also think that not flying into den in 8 years made it challenging.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A First Officer with little experience in type reported that the Captain descended to 6;000 feet before JOULES intersection and lined up for DEN 17L instead of 17R; but corrected to final as ATC questioned the aircraft's altitude.

Narrative: We were cleared for a visual approach for Runway 17R at Denver. We were descending from 9;000 feet northeast of the airport on a heading to intercept the localizer. My Captain set 6;000 feet in the Alt Alert and continued down. I set 7;000 feet stating it was as low as we could go at Joules and it was 8;000 feet minimum outside where we would intercept. He said he was visual and wanted to intercept from below. As I tried to understand what he was going to accomplish he rolled out on Runway 17L and commented; 'Why no localizer?' I said it was the wrong runway [and we needed] to come right. Checked the frequency and inbound course. He made a radical turn back to the west. And by the time I caught up ATC questioned our altitude; [which was] 1;000 feet. I punched the Altitude Hold button and responded to the Controller that we would level. The Captain disconnected the autopilot and flew the visual approach without another problem. I think I should have insisted on the the 8;000 feet outside of Joules (the other way point one out from Joules); but became concerned with the lateral issue of intercepting the localizer. Another factor was that the Captain was getting a Line Check from a Check Airman on board and had not flown in 4 months. He had failed a simulator check prior to this flight; I believe. I had not flown in 4 months either and had only two or three flights total in the right seat. I am a downgraded Captain. It would have been better to pick a more seasoned; current First Officer. I also think that not flying into DEN in 8 years made it challenging.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.