B737 flight crew reported getting low and slow during a night visual approach to runway 10R at pdx. ...

Narrative:

I was the pilot monitoring during this flight. We briefed the visual to runway 10R; backed up by the ILS 10R in the FMC. It was nighttime; clear VFR conditions with surface winds 080 and gusting 25-30 knots. We were on the hhood arrival; downwind on the north side of the airport. We were cleared for the visual approach to runway 10R while heading approximately 180 degrees pointed right at the FAF powlz (FMC was set up for the ILS 10R). The tower controller had turned us to the base leg while we were still high. When given the clearance by tower for the visual approach I believe the pilot flying (PF) selected lvl change to facilitate a rapid descent to the glide path. I was completing landing checklist items at the same time as the PF was calling for the deployment of the landing gear and flaps. We decelerated and descended fully configured to the glide path. During this very brief time I kept an eye toward the airport but I didn't realize our rate of descent took the aircraft well below glide path until the portland tower controller issued us a 'low altitude alert'. The PF immediately leveled off. We were just above 1000 feet. I determined our position on the extended center line and felt it was safe to continue the approach. We intercepted the glide slope and landed.lessons learned using level change brings the throttles to idle and sets up too high a rate of descent near the ground; also providing a good chance to get slow (or fast) if hand flying since the throttles go to the arm mode and will not wake up or provide any speed protection. Vertical speed would have been a better mode and provided a more controlled rate of descent and also speed protection.I also failed to recognize the approach mode had not been engaged. We therefore unwittingly flew through the glide slope and didn't realize it. Selecting the approach mode is certainly a habit pattern I always plan to employ but in this case I missed it and therefore suffered a very poor result.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 flight crew reported getting low and slow during a night visual approach to Runway 10R at PDX. The Tower issued a low altitude alert and the descent was arrested; speed increased; and a normal landing completed.

Narrative: I was the Pilot Monitoring during this flight. We briefed the visual to Runway 10R; backed up by the ILS 10R in the FMC. It was nighttime; clear VFR conditions with surface winds 080 and gusting 25-30 knots. We were on the HHOOD arrival; downwind on the north side of the airport. We were cleared for the visual approach to runway 10R while heading approximately 180 degrees pointed right at the FAF POWLZ (FMC was set up for the ILS 10R). The tower controller had turned us to the base leg while we were still high. When given the clearance by tower for the visual approach I believe the Pilot Flying (PF) selected LVL CHANGE to facilitate a rapid descent to the glide path. I was completing landing checklist items at the same time as the PF was calling for the deployment of the landing gear and flaps. We decelerated and descended fully configured to the glide path. During this very brief time I kept an eye toward the airport but I didn't realize our rate of descent took the aircraft well below glide path until the Portland Tower controller issued us a 'Low Altitude Alert'. The PF immediately leveled off. We were just above 1000 feet. I determined our position on the extended center line and felt it was safe to continue the approach. We intercepted the glide slope and landed.Lessons learned Using Level Change brings the throttles to idle and sets up too high a rate of descent near the ground; also providing a good chance to get slow (or fast) if hand flying since the throttles go to the ARM mode and will not wake up or provide any speed protection. Vertical Speed would have been a better mode and provided a more controlled rate of descent and also speed protection.I also failed to recognize the APPROACH mode had not been engaged. We therefore unwittingly flew through the glide slope and didn't realize it. Selecting the APPROACH mode is certainly a habit pattern I always plan to employ but in this case I missed it and therefore suffered a very poor result.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1340892
Time
Date	201603
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	PDX.Airport
State Reference	OR
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach STAR HHOOD
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Person 2
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach

B737 flight crew reported getting low and slow during a night visual approach to runway 10R at pdx. The tower issued a low altitude alert and the descent was arrested; speed increased; and a normal landing completed.