Narrative:

The ny metropolitan area had quite a bit of thunderstorm activity in the area. Jfk was using the cri VOR approachs to runway 13L. As we approached the cri VOR, ny TRACON advised us we were cleared for the approach, and to cross the cri VOR at 1000 ft, which we did. There was a rather nasty thunderstorm just west of the approach path. After we passed the VOR, we started a normal descent for the airport and picked up the lead-in lights for runway 13L at jfk. About half way between the VOR and the first lead-in light, the clouds from the bases of the thunderstorm appeared to be slightly below our 800 ft normal altitude. I might note here that the approach chart gives no suggested altitudes or altitude restrs once the approach lights have been sighted. We had a good visual on both the approach lights and runway after leaving the VOR and upon reaching 800 ft. I felt both the flight and altitude were safe. When it seemed we might lose sight of both runway and lead-in lights if we stayed at 800 ft all the way around to final, which jfk likes for you to do for noise, the first officer started a slight descent to maintain the maximum possible altitude and keep both runway and lead-in lights in sight. As we started our turn for the airport, the tower controller voiced some concern that we were indicating an altitude of 450 ft at that time. I told him of the lower clouds to the west, and he said they were changing the approach to runway 22 as we were speaking. I told him that we were fine and that we had both the lights and runway in sight. I asked if we were causing a problem, and he responded with something like, 'no, I was just concerned because you were below the normal altitude.' we continued the approach and landed on runway 13L with no problem. I was just concerned that he questioned what we were doing at the time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT WARNED OF LOW ALT DURING A VOR APCH USING LEAD-IN LIGHTS FOR THE LAST SEGMENT.

Narrative: THE NY METRO AREA HAD QUITE A BIT OF TSTM ACTIVITY IN THE AREA. JFK WAS USING THE CRI VOR APCHS TO RWY 13L. AS WE APCHED THE CRI VOR, NY TRACON ADVISED US WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH, AND TO CROSS THE CRI VOR AT 1000 FT, WHICH WE DID. THERE WAS A RATHER NASTY TSTM JUST W OF THE APCH PATH. AFTER WE PASSED THE VOR, WE STARTED A NORMAL DSCNT FOR THE ARPT AND PICKED UP THE LEAD-IN LIGHTS FOR RWY 13L AT JFK. ABOUT HALF WAY BTWN THE VOR AND THE FIRST LEAD-IN LIGHT, THE CLOUDS FROM THE BASES OF THE TSTM APPEARED TO BE SLIGHTLY BELOW OUR 800 FT NORMAL ALT. I MIGHT NOTE HERE THAT THE APCH CHART GIVES NO SUGGESTED ALTS OR ALT RESTRS ONCE THE APCH LIGHTS HAVE BEEN SIGHTED. WE HAD A GOOD VISUAL ON BOTH THE APCH LIGHTS AND RWY AFTER LEAVING THE VOR AND UPON REACHING 800 FT. I FELT BOTH THE FLT AND ALT WERE SAFE. WHEN IT SEEMED WE MIGHT LOSE SIGHT OF BOTH RWY AND LEAD-IN LIGHTS IF WE STAYED AT 800 FT ALL THE WAY AROUND TO FINAL, WHICH JFK LIKES FOR YOU TO DO FOR NOISE, THE FO STARTED A SLIGHT DSCNT TO MAINTAIN THE MAX POSSIBLE ALT AND KEEP BOTH RWY AND LEAD-IN LIGHTS IN SIGHT. AS WE STARTED OUR TURN FOR THE ARPT, THE TWR CTLR VOICED SOME CONCERN THAT WE WERE INDICATING AN ALT OF 450 FT AT THAT TIME. I TOLD HIM OF THE LOWER CLOUDS TO THE W, AND HE SAID THEY WERE CHANGING THE APCH TO RWY 22 AS WE WERE SPEAKING. I TOLD HIM THAT WE WERE FINE AND THAT WE HAD BOTH THE LIGHTS AND RWY IN SIGHT. I ASKED IF WE WERE CAUSING A PROB, AND HE RESPONDED WITH SOMETHING LIKE, 'NO, I WAS JUST CONCERNED BECAUSE YOU WERE BELOW THE NORMAL ALT.' WE CONTINUED THE APCH AND LANDED ON RWY 13L WITH NO PROB. I WAS JUST CONCERNED THAT HE QUESTIONED WHAT WE WERE DOING AT THE TIME.

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.