Narrative:

First officer set up localizer but failed to remove DME (set to VOR) from 'hold.' LORAN set to VOR instead of airport. These 2 things gave me the false indications of distance from airport (I thought I was closer than I was). First officer called 'GS alive,' then ' on GS.' my instruments gave no indication of GS. I called approach and asked if GS was working. Approach said 'we'll check.' I never received confirmation of GS working from approach. I had received an earlier 'low altitude alert' but ignored it because I was level at 2200 ft, but had been descending at over 2000 FPM. I received a second warning after I began attempting to track first officer's GS needle, then called for 'localizer only' minimums. Approach now issued a second 'low altitude' alert warning and a request to maintain 2200 ft. As I began a climb to 2200 from 1700, my GS 'came alive.' at intercept, we continued the approach without incident. Human factors: first officer, and I too, were tired from an unusual 14 hour day, the day before. First officer is a 'night person' and doesn't always function well early. First officer failed to recognize her GS indicator was 'flagged.' captain didn't brief approach as well as I should have. Captain didn't monitor approach being set up. Both of us -- fatigue, bad WX, and last minute departure changes from one airport to another. Supplemental information from acn 240490: he then had me tune the #2 navigation radio to capital VOR (which was the OM) and then he set the DME hold button for navigation 2 radio. The PIC asked if my HSI had an 'off' flag on the GS. I said no. He then asked what GS intercept was for the final approach fix. '2163' ft said. I assumed we were at the final approach fix based on GS information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT DSNDS BELOW GS WHEN GS RECEIVED PROB IS NOT RECOGNIZED.

Narrative: FO SET UP LOC BUT FAILED TO REMOVE DME (SET TO VOR) FROM 'HOLD.' LORAN SET TO VOR INSTEAD OF ARPT. THESE 2 THINGS GAVE ME THE FALSE INDICATIONS OF DISTANCE FROM ARPT (I THOUGHT I WAS CLOSER THAN I WAS). FO CALLED 'GS ALIVE,' THEN ' ON GS.' MY INSTS GAVE NO INDICATION OF GS. I CALLED APCH AND ASKED IF GS WAS WORKING. APCH SAID 'WE'LL CHK.' I NEVER RECEIVED CONFIRMATION OF GS WORKING FROM APCH. I HAD RECEIVED AN EARLIER 'LOW ALT ALERT' BUT IGNORED IT BECAUSE I WAS LEVEL AT 2200 FT, BUT HAD BEEN DSNDING AT OVER 2000 FPM. I RECEIVED A SECOND WARNING AFTER I BEGAN ATTEMPTING TO TRACK FO'S GS NEEDLE, THEN CALLED FOR 'LOC ONLY' MINIMUMS. APCH NOW ISSUED A SECOND 'LOW ALT' ALERT WARNING AND A REQUEST TO MAINTAIN 2200 FT. AS I BEGAN A CLB TO 2200 FROM 1700, MY GS 'CAME ALIVE.' AT INTERCEPT, WE CONTINUED THE APCH WITHOUT INCIDENT. HUMAN FACTORS: FO, AND I TOO, WERE TIRED FROM AN UNUSUAL 14 HR DAY, THE DAY BEFORE. FO IS A 'NIGHT PERSON' AND DOESN'T ALWAYS FUNCTION WELL EARLY. FO FAILED TO RECOGNIZE HER GS INDICATOR WAS 'FLAGGED.' CAPT DIDN'T BRIEF APCH AS WELL AS I SHOULD HAVE. CAPT DIDN'T MONITOR APCH BEING SET UP. BOTH OF US -- FATIGUE, BAD WX, AND LAST MINUTE DEP CHANGES FROM ONE ARPT TO ANOTHER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 240490: HE THEN HAD ME TUNE THE #2 NAV RADIO TO CAPITAL VOR (WHICH WAS THE OM) AND THEN HE SET THE DME HOLD BUTTON FOR NAV 2 RADIO. THE PIC ASKED IF MY HSI HAD AN 'OFF' FLAG ON THE GS. I SAID NO. HE THEN ASKED WHAT GS INTERCEPT WAS FOR THE FINAL APCH FIX. '2163' FT SAID. I ASSUMED WE WERE AT THE FINAL APCH FIX BASED ON GS INFO.

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.