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Air taxi pilot reported being issued a low altitude alert while on a visual approach with a slightly above glideslope indication.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1544059 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201805 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801-2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | NCT.TRACON |
| State Reference | CA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | Initial Approach |
| Route In Use | Direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Captain Pilot Not Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 165 Flight Crew Total 2950 Flight Crew Type 1255 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach |
Narrative:
We requested the visual approach since ATIS was reporting 10 miles visibility and clear. Approach assigned us direct to a fix then direct knuq and maintain 5100 feet. We were handed off to tower 10-12 miles out from the field; without being cleared for the approach. Tower cleared us to land and we were still at 5100 feet; so we extended the spoilers to lose altitude quickly. Even though we were doing a visual approach we had the ILS for the parallel runway in as backup for situational awareness; due to unfamiliarity with the airport and night conditions. During descent; we passed through a thin layer of fog; which did not effect our visual with the runway. Continuing with the descent; the glide slope was showing us high with a dot above; with our altitude indicating 1900 feet. At this point; tower informed us of a low level altitude alert. In response; we initiated a climb for the alert; despite being above glide slope. Realizing we would have an unstable approach to continue landing; we requested a left or right 360 to execute a stabilized and safe landing.my first officer and I talked about how we could prevent this situation from happening again. We believe if we had queried approach to begin descent our approach would have been more stabilized. Next time if I notice I'm too high on approach; I'll query much sooner and ask for vectors to get stabilized.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Air taxi pilot reported being issued a low altitude alert while on a Visual Approach with a slightly above glideslope indication.
Narrative: We requested the visual approach since ATIS was reporting 10 miles visibility and clear. Approach assigned us DIRECT to a fix then direct KNUQ and maintain 5100 feet. We were handed off to Tower 10-12 miles out from the field; without being cleared for the approach. Tower cleared us to land and we were still at 5100 feet; so we extended the spoilers to lose altitude quickly. Even though we were doing a Visual Approach we had the ILS for the parallel runway in as backup for situational awareness; due to unfamiliarity with the airport and night conditions. During descent; we passed through a thin layer of fog; which did not effect our visual with the runway. Continuing with the descent; the glide slope was showing us high with a dot above; with our altitude indicating 1900 feet. At this point; tower informed us of a low level altitude alert. In response; we initiated a climb for the alert; despite being above glide slope. Realizing we would have an unstable approach to continue landing; we requested a left or right 360 to execute a stabilized and safe landing.My First Officer and I talked about how we could prevent this situation from happening again. We believe if we had queried Approach to begin descent our approach would have been more stabilized. Next time if I notice I'm too high on approach; I'll query much sooner and ask for vectors to get stabilized.
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.