ATC low altitude alert.

Attributes
ACN	294550
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : alb
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : alb tracon : ont
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 32
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3800
ASRS Report	294550
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	294548
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Upon arrival to the albany airspace, ATC told us to expect VOR to runway 28 approach. My thought at this time was the WX must be dropping. When we arrived at the final approach fix we were still IMC and began the descent to MDA. Approximately 100- 150 ft above MDA I looked up and saw the runway and advised my first officer who was the PF. At the same time the tower advised us we appeared to be low, and later told us he got a low altitude alert on us. I advised him we had the field in sight. I told my first officer to arrest the descent rate and we proceeded to follow the VASI to the runway. I must add we were cleared for the VOR approach not the visual approach and at no time went below the MDA until visual contact with the runway. Supplemental information from acn 294548: our aircraft is equipped with GPWS and we received no warnings of any sort.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC LOW ALT ALERT.

Narrative: UPON ARR TO THE ALBANY AIRSPACE, ATC TOLD US TO EXPECT VOR TO RWY 28 APCH. MY THOUGHT AT THIS TIME WAS THE WX MUST BE DROPPING. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE FINAL APCH FIX WE WERE STILL IMC AND BEGAN THE DSCNT TO MDA. APPROX 100- 150 FT ABOVE MDA I LOOKED UP AND SAW THE RWY AND ADVISED MY FO WHO WAS THE PF. AT THE SAME TIME THE TWR ADVISED US WE APPEARED TO BE LOW, AND LATER TOLD US HE GOT A LOW ALT ALERT ON US. I ADVISED HIM WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. I TOLD MY FO TO ARREST THE DSCNT RATE AND WE PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW THE VASI TO THE RWY. I MUST ADD WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VOR APCH NOT THE VISUAL APCH AND AT NO TIME WENT BELOW THE MDA UNTIL VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 294548: OUR ACFT IS EQUIPPED WITH GPWS AND WE RECEIVED NO WARNINGS OF ANY SORT.

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.