Narrative:

We left cmx en route to mqt. We leveled off at 6000 ft MSL and completed the cruise checklist. About 25 mi from mqt, ZMP turned us over to sawyer approach. Sawyer approach cleared us to 3600 ft MSL. We started our descent and completed the descent checklist. One of the items on the descent checklist is an approach brief in which the PF reviews the approach plate (WX was 300 ft and 1/2 mi). A few mins later we were given radar vectors to intercept the localizer runway 8. We were on the localizer course when sawyer approach cleared us for the ILS to runway 8 at mqt. The approach controller told us what we thought was to descend to 2600 ft MSL. I set the radio altimeter to 2600 ft and started to descend to 2600 ft and my first officer read back our approach clearance and altitude assignment. At 3000 ft the controller told us that they had a low altitude alert and told us to check our altimeter setting and altitude and to climb to 3600 ft. At this time we were about 3-4 mi from the FAF inbound. We climbed to 3400 ft which was the GS intercept altitude (at this time we doublechked our approach plate). We intercepted the GS, and completed the ILS without further problems. 1) highspd trip, and time was late. 2) we did not doublechk GS intercept altitude when sawyer approach cleared us for the approach (assumed that we heard the clearance correctly and read it back to approach control). 3) the mdt that we fly do not have approach plate holders so we can have the approach plate in front of us during the approach, so my approach plate was laying on the left hand console out of my view. 4) radio communication problems with respect to the readback of the clearance and approach controller did not hear or thought they heard the appropriate readback. 5) my first officer should have monitored our progress on the approach more thoroughly. Our standard IFR calls are 1000 ft, 500 ft, 200 ft, 100 ft above decision height, and at decision height. 6) poor lighting in the cockpit for reviewing approach plate and for monitoring our progress on the approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT FLT HAS LOW ALT ALERT ON ILS APCH IN IMC.

Narrative: WE LEFT CMX ENRTE TO MQT. WE LEVELED OFF AT 6000 FT MSL AND COMPLETED THE CRUISE CHKLIST. ABOUT 25 MI FROM MQT, ZMP TURNED US OVER TO SAWYER APCH. SAWYER APCH CLRED US TO 3600 FT MSL. WE STARTED OUR DSCNT AND COMPLETED THE DSCNT CHKLIST. ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE DSCNT CHKLIST IS AN APCH BRIEF IN WHICH THE PF REVIEWS THE APCH PLATE (WX WAS 300 FT AND 1/2 MI). A FEW MINS LATER WE WERE GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE LOC RWY 8. WE WERE ON THE LOC COURSE WHEN SAWYER APCH CLRED US FOR THE ILS TO RWY 8 AT MQT. THE APCH CTLR TOLD US WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS TO DSND TO 2600 FT MSL. I SET THE RADIO ALTIMETER TO 2600 FT AND STARTED TO DSND TO 2600 FT AND MY FO READ BACK OUR APCH CLRNC AND ALT ASSIGNMENT. AT 3000 FT THE CTLR TOLD US THAT THEY HAD A LOW ALT ALERT AND TOLD US TO CHK OUR ALTIMETER SETTING AND ALT AND TO CLB TO 3600 FT. AT THIS TIME WE WERE ABOUT 3-4 MI FROM THE FAF INBOUND. WE CLBED TO 3400 FT WHICH WAS THE GS INTERCEPT ALT (AT THIS TIME WE DOUBLECHKED OUR APCH PLATE). WE INTERCEPTED THE GS, AND COMPLETED THE ILS WITHOUT FURTHER PROBLEMS. 1) HIGHSPD TRIP, AND TIME WAS LATE. 2) WE DID NOT DOUBLECHK GS INTERCEPT ALT WHEN SAWYER APCH CLRED US FOR THE APCH (ASSUMED THAT WE HEARD THE CLRNC CORRECTLY AND READ IT BACK TO APCH CTL). 3) THE MDT THAT WE FLY DO NOT HAVE APCH PLATE HOLDERS SO WE CAN HAVE THE APCH PLATE IN FRONT OF US DURING THE APCH, SO MY APCH PLATE WAS LAYING ON THE L HAND CONSOLE OUT OF MY VIEW. 4) RADIO COM PROBLEMS WITH RESPECT TO THE READBACK OF THE CLRNC AND APCH CTLR DID NOT HEAR OR THOUGHT THEY HEARD THE APPROPRIATE READBACK. 5) MY FO SHOULD HAVE MONITORED OUR PROGRESS ON THE APCH MORE THOROUGHLY. OUR STANDARD IFR CALLS ARE 1000 FT, 500 FT, 200 FT, 100 FT ABOVE DECISION HEIGHT, AND AT DECISION HEIGHT. 6) POOR LIGHTING IN THE COCKPIT FOR REVIEWING APCH PLATE AND FOR MONITORING OUR PROGRESS ON THE APCH.

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