Flight crew of MD11 causes altitude alert on approach to pdx.

Attributes
ACN	427750
Time
Date	199902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pdx
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1100 msl bound upper : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mci
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Navigation In Use	Other
Route In Use	approach : straight in arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	427750
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Several stepdown altitudes on localizer approach to runway 21 at pdx. Wind 200 degrees at 30 KTS. Company policy is runway must be dry to use this approach. As we started approach, light rain began at pdx. We were preoccupied with this and first officer set MDA on glareshield control panel one fix too soon. Approach gave us a 'low altitude alert' about the time we broke out of clouds. We were about 150 ft low for the last fix before descending to minimums. I had requested the first officer to update altitudes on glareshield control panel throughout approach. I didn't catch wrong selection. Aircraft was not in jeopardy and appreciated approach control advisory. Turbulent conditions, runway condition (wet or not -- is damp wet?) and not following through commands, contributed to this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MD11 CAUSES ALT ALERT ON APCH TO PDX.

Narrative: SEVERAL STEPDOWN ALTS ON LOC APCH TO RWY 21 AT PDX. WIND 200 DEGS AT 30 KTS. COMPANY POLICY IS RWY MUST BE DRY TO USE THIS APCH. AS WE STARTED APCH, LIGHT RAIN BEGAN AT PDX. WE WERE PREOCCUPIED WITH THIS AND FO SET MDA ON GLARESHIELD CTL PANEL ONE FIX TOO SOON. APCH GAVE US A 'LOW ALT ALERT' ABOUT THE TIME WE BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS. WE WERE ABOUT 150 FT LOW FOR THE LAST FIX BEFORE DSNDING TO MINIMUMS. I HAD REQUESTED THE FO TO UPDATE ALTS ON GLARESHIELD CTL PANEL THROUGHOUT APCH. I DIDN'T CATCH WRONG SELECTION. ACFT WAS NOT IN JEOPARDY AND APPRECIATED APCH CTL ADVISORY. TURBULENT CONDITIONS, RWY CONDITION (WET OR NOT -- IS DAMP WET?) AND NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH COMMANDS, CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT.

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.