Narrative:

The event began with the execution of an rnp approach. We set up the approach as trained and followed the appropriate checklist. 99% of the time I hand fly approachs, so at 10000 ft on this approach, I uncoupled the autoplt. As soon as I did the captain got upset and said, 'what are you doing? We have to leave it coupled!' which is not true. Not wanting to create any conflict, I re-engaged the autoplt. Then he made a comment like, 'oh, go ahead and hand fly it.' I chose not to. We entered VMC conditions prior to the FAF, at which point I quit referencing my approach plate. Instead I was looking out at the airport thinking about landing on runway 8. I soon realized that 'the picture' didn't look right and that we were much lower than we should have been. We were approaching 800 ft MSL instead of being at 1270 ft where we should have been. Without hesitation, I disconnected the autoplt and autothrottles and climbed back up to 1000 ft MSL. At this point we were near cgl NDB. Once past cgl I made the turn through 'the cut' to line up and land on runway 8. I believe that the problem stemmed from: 1) my newness to the airplane. 2) being on reverse and very seldom flying (common complaint with new B737-400 first officer's here at air carrier X). 3) second time I've flown the approach (first time as the PF). 4) captain was very controling, nonstandard (I'd been informed of this the day before by a check airman and also told by this person that 'a lot of first officer's don't like to fly with this guy') and he was abrasive which caused me to mentally distance myself from the cockpit. 5) captain 'played' by his own rules, which made matters very confusing since I was never sure what he wanted and he couldn't relate what he wanted. Since the captain had been at air carrier X for 14 yrs and acted like he was very knowledgeable about flying in southeast alaska, I tended to let myself be led like a stupid sheep out to slaughter. I need to not allow myself to be intimidated by capts like this. Although I'm new and relatively inexperienced in the airplane, I know better than to stop monitoring the coupled approach, even in VMC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 ACFT ON COUPLED APCH, PF, FO DSNDS BELOW THE APCH PROFILE, BUT CORRECTS BACK WHEN RECOGNIZING THE 'PICTURE' DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT. COCKPIT CONFLICT CONTRIBUTES.

Narrative: THE EVENT BEGAN WITH THE EXECUTION OF AN RNP APCH. WE SET UP THE APCH AS TRAINED AND FOLLOWED THE APPROPRIATE CHKLIST. 99% OF THE TIME I HAND FLY APCHS, SO AT 10000 FT ON THIS APCH, I UNCOUPLED THE AUTOPLT. AS SOON AS I DID THE CAPT GOT UPSET AND SAID, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT COUPLED!' WHICH IS NOT TRUE. NOT WANTING TO CREATE ANY CONFLICT, I RE-ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT. THEN HE MADE A COMMENT LIKE, 'OH, GO AHEAD AND HAND FLY IT.' I CHOSE NOT TO. WE ENTERED VMC CONDITIONS PRIOR TO THE FAF, AT WHICH POINT I QUIT REFING MY APCH PLATE. INSTEAD I WAS LOOKING OUT AT THE ARPT THINKING ABOUT LNDG ON RWY 8. I SOON REALIZED THAT 'THE PICTURE' DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT AND THAT WE WERE MUCH LOWER THAN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. WE WERE APCHING 800 FT MSL INSTEAD OF BEING AT 1270 FT WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. WITHOUT HESITATION, I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES AND CLBED BACK UP TO 1000 FT MSL. AT THIS POINT WE WERE NEAR CGL NDB. ONCE PAST CGL I MADE THE TURN THROUGH 'THE CUT' TO LINE UP AND LAND ON RWY 8. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROB STEMMED FROM: 1) MY NEWNESS TO THE AIRPLANE. 2) BEING ON REVERSE AND VERY SELDOM FLYING (COMMON COMPLAINT WITH NEW B737-400 FO'S HERE AT ACR X). 3) SECOND TIME I'VE FLOWN THE APCH (FIRST TIME AS THE PF). 4) CAPT WAS VERY CTLING, NONSTANDARD (I'D BEEN INFORMED OF THIS THE DAY BEFORE BY A CHK AIRMAN AND ALSO TOLD BY THIS PERSON THAT 'A LOT OF FO'S DON'T LIKE TO FLY WITH THIS GUY') AND HE WAS ABRASIVE WHICH CAUSED ME TO MENTALLY DISTANCE MYSELF FROM THE COCKPIT. 5) CAPT 'PLAYED' BY HIS OWN RULES, WHICH MADE MATTERS VERY CONFUSING SINCE I WAS NEVER SURE WHAT HE WANTED AND HE COULDN'T RELATE WHAT HE WANTED. SINCE THE CAPT HAD BEEN AT ACR X FOR 14 YRS AND ACTED LIKE HE WAS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT FLYING IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA, I TENDED TO LET MYSELF BE LED LIKE A STUPID SHEEP OUT TO SLAUGHTER. I NEED TO NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO BE INTIMIDATED BY CAPTS LIKE THIS. ALTHOUGH I'M NEW AND RELATIVELY INEXPERIENCED IN THE AIRPLANE, I KNOW BETTER THAN TO STOP MONITORING THE COUPLED APCH, EVEN IN VMC.

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.