Narrative:

While being vectored by santa barbara approach for the ILS runway 07 our final vector was 'turn right to heading 040 descend to and maintain 2000 until established cleared for the approach'. This vector took us through the localizer to the north and the first officer who was flying the approach corrected to recapture the localizer. Once on the localizer we descended to minimum glide slope altitude of 1774 MSL. It appeared the glide slope was alive and the landing gear was extended. I began the before landing checklist and then noticed that the glide slope indication was premature. While still outside the minimum glide slope altitude of 1774 MSL, I elected to continue the before landing check. The controller called us and told us to check our altitude because he had gotten a low altitude warning showing the aircraft at 1300 MSL. I responded that we showed 1500 MSL and that we were correcting. The controller asked if we had the field in sight and I replied negative. Approximately 5 seconds later I told the controller that we did have the field in sight at which time he cleared us for the visual approach to runway 07. No further incident and VMC conditions were maintained during the entire approach. I believe that the poor final approach vector to the localizer was a contributing factor due to the fact that we had to recapture the localizer close to the minimum glide slope altitude. At the same time that we were getting reestablished on the localizer we were configuring the aircraft for landing be extending gear, flaps, and performing the landing checklist. The late final approach vector added to the high workload and in my opinion was a contributing factor to the inadvertent loss of 274' of altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LTT DESCENDED BELOW FAF ALT ACTIVATING MSAW.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED BY SANTA BARBARA APCH FOR THE ILS RWY 07 OUR FINAL VECTOR WAS 'TURN RIGHT TO HDG 040 DSND TO AND MAINTAIN 2000 UNTIL ESTABLISHED CLRED FOR THE APCH'. THIS VECTOR TOOK US THROUGH THE LOC TO THE NORTH AND THE F/O WHO WAS FLYING THE APCH CORRECTED TO RECAPTURE THE LOC. ONCE ON THE LOC WE DESCENDED TO MINIMUM GLIDE SLOPE ALT OF 1774 MSL. IT APPEARED THE GLIDE SLOPE WAS ALIVE AND THE LNDG GEAR WAS EXTENDED. I BEGAN THE BEFORE LNDG CHECKLIST AND THEN NOTICED THAT THE GLIDE SLOPE INDICATION WAS PREMATURE. WHILE STILL OUTSIDE THE MINIMUM GLIDE SLOPE ALT OF 1774 MSL, I ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE BEFORE LNDG CHECK. THE CTLR CALLED US AND TOLD US TO CHECK OUR ALT BECAUSE HE HAD GOTTEN A LOW ALT WARNING SHOWING THE ACFT AT 1300 MSL. I RESPONDED THAT WE SHOWED 1500 MSL AND THAT WE WERE CORRECTING. THE CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND I REPLIED NEGATIVE. APPROX 5 SECONDS LATER I TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE DID HAVE THE FIELD IN SIGHT AT WHICH TIME HE CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 07. NO FURTHER INCIDENT AND VMC CONDITIONS WERE MAINTAINED DURING THE ENTIRE APCH. I BELIEVE THAT THE POOR FINAL APCH VECTOR TO THE LOC WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE HAD TO RECAPTURE THE LOC CLOSE TO THE MINIMUM GLIDE SLOPE ALT. AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE WERE GETTING REESTABLISHED ON THE LOC WE WERE CONFIGURING THE ACFT FOR LNDG BE EXTENDING GEAR, FLAPS, AND PERFORMING THE LNDG CHECKLIST. THE LATE FINAL APCH VECTOR ADDED TO THE HIGH WORKLOAD AND IN MY OPINION WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE INADVERTENT LOSS OF 274' OF ALT.

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.