Narrative:

Radar vectors to VOR 21 at gtf. Prior to this, received latest ATIS prior to descent: high ceilings, rain showers in vicinity. Briefed VOR 21 (no ILS this runway, winds too strong for ILS on runway 3). Expected to actually fly visual approach based on ATIS ceiling and visibility. Approaching airport (approximately 30 mi out) saw rain (green, yellow, few dots of red on WX radar). Edge of rain just southeast of airport. While on vectors, approach controller said rain approaching airport from east (we were also coming in from the east) and visibility dropping. Cleared for approach approximately 7000 ft MSL, intercepting inbound radial approximately 3-7 NM from FAF (trigg) -- we were already slowed and most of flaps already out. Fully configured and checklist complete by FAF. Departed 4800 ft (FAF altitude) .2 NM prior to trigg (.2 NM lead is our SOP) and rapidly descended to MDA (4000 ft MSL). Prior to/just after FAF in moderate rain all the way to runway, though only light rain at touchdown. Lightning off our left side near FAF, able to see ground prior to FAF, though didn't see VASI for runway off our left till at MDA (if not for brightness of VASI, would not have seen runway till much closer). Turbulence in descent, MDA through touchdown. Firm landing with autobrakes set at medium. Why I'm writing this: either tower or approach control (probably tower) informed us after we reached MDA that they showed us crossing trigg at 4100 ft (FAF at trigg is 4800 ft). I don't think we started down too early, though I know we were aggressive to get right down to MDA. My mistakes: not truly preparing myself mentally for us to really fly the approach. This was the first VOR approach in real life (as either PF or PNF) in this aircraft (2 years). Though we practice it in the simulator every 6 months (under ideal conditions), I hadn't seen one since my last sim. Next 6 month check ride is this week!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A300 FLC CROSSES THE FAF 700 FT LOW ACCORDING TO TWR CTLR AT GTF, MT.

Narrative: RADAR VECTORS TO VOR 21 AT GTF. PRIOR TO THIS, RECEIVED LATEST ATIS PRIOR TO DSCNT: HIGH CEILINGS, RAIN SHOWERS IN VICINITY. BRIEFED VOR 21 (NO ILS THIS RWY, WINDS TOO STRONG FOR ILS ON RWY 3). EXPECTED TO ACTUALLY FLY VISUAL APCH BASED ON ATIS CEILING AND VISIBILITY. APCHING ARPT (APPROX 30 MI OUT) SAW RAIN (GREEN, YELLOW, FEW DOTS OF RED ON WX RADAR). EDGE OF RAIN JUST SE OF ARPT. WHILE ON VECTORS, APCH CTLR SAID RAIN APCHING ARPT FROM E (WE WERE ALSO COMING IN FROM THE E) AND VISIBILITY DROPPING. CLRED FOR APCH APPROX 7000 FT MSL, INTERCEPTING INBOUND RADIAL APPROX 3-7 NM FROM FAF (TRIGG) -- WE WERE ALREADY SLOWED AND MOST OF FLAPS ALREADY OUT. FULLY CONFIGURED AND CHKLIST COMPLETE BY FAF. DEPARTED 4800 FT (FAF ALT) .2 NM PRIOR TO TRIGG (.2 NM LEAD IS OUR SOP) AND RAPIDLY DSNDED TO MDA (4000 FT MSL). PRIOR TO/JUST AFTER FAF IN MODERATE RAIN ALL THE WAY TO RWY, THOUGH ONLY LIGHT RAIN AT TOUCHDOWN. LIGHTNING OFF OUR L SIDE NEAR FAF, ABLE TO SEE GND PRIOR TO FAF, THOUGH DIDN'T SEE VASI FOR RWY OFF OUR L TILL AT MDA (IF NOT FOR BRIGHTNESS OF VASI, WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN RWY TILL MUCH CLOSER). TURB IN DSCNT, MDA THROUGH TOUCHDOWN. FIRM LNDG WITH AUTOBRAKES SET AT MEDIUM. WHY I'M WRITING THIS: EITHER TWR OR APCH CTL (PROBABLY TWR) INFORMED US AFTER WE REACHED MDA THAT THEY SHOWED US XING TRIGG AT 4100 FT (FAF AT TRIGG IS 4800 FT). I DON'T THINK WE STARTED DOWN TOO EARLY, THOUGH I KNOW WE WERE AGGRESSIVE TO GET RIGHT DOWN TO MDA. MY MISTAKES: NOT TRULY PREPARING MYSELF MENTALLY FOR US TO REALLY FLY THE APCH. THIS WAS THE FIRST VOR APCH IN REAL LIFE (AS EITHER PF OR PNF) IN THIS ACFT (2 YEARS). THOUGH WE PRACTICE IT IN THE SIMULATOR EVERY 6 MONTHS (UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS), I HADN'T SEEN ONE SINCE MY LAST SIM. NEXT 6 MONTH CHK RIDE IS THIS WK!

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.