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Flight crew has excessive rate of descent on localizer approach, causes ATC 'low altitude alert' warning from tower.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 545499 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200204 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : san.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 1500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : san.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 27 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 500 |
| ASRS Report | 545766 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 250 |
| ASRS Report | 545499 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : low alt alert other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were being vectored for the localizer 27 at san. We were kept high due to conflicting traffic when established on the localizer. This approach is a problem for the A320 to get slowed down for a stable approach, so we were fully configured outside of swatt intersection, but approximately 1000 ft high when cleared for the approach. We initiated a descent to 2000 ft (swatt minimum altitude) and worked our best to get down. When it appeared that we would be high at reebo (the FAF) the captain, PF, set 700 ft (rounded up MDA) in the altitude alerter (FCU). At this time we were doing approximately 2000 FPM downhill, and still high for crossing reebo. The altitude crossing the FAF ended up being approximately 200 ft low, still descending 2000 FPM. We were already cleared to land, and VMC. Tower called and said they showed a 'low altitude alert' for reebo. I (PNF) called that we were already inside reebo, and had field in sight. We were cleared for the visual, leveled at 1000 ft MSL till VASI, and landed uneventfully, with no comment from ATC.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC HAS EXCESSIVE RATE OF DSCNT ON LOC APCH, CAUSES ATC 'LOW ALT ALERT' WARNING FROM TWR.
Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR THE LOC 27 AT SAN. WE WERE KEPT HIGH DUE TO CONFLICTING TFC WHEN ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC. THIS APCH IS A PROB FOR THE A320 TO GET SLOWED DOWN FOR A STABLE APCH, SO WE WERE FULLY CONFIGURED OUTSIDE OF SWATT INTXN, BUT APPROX 1000 FT HIGH WHEN CLRED FOR THE APCH. WE INITIATED A DSCNT TO 2000 FT (SWATT MINIMUM ALT) AND WORKED OUR BEST TO GET DOWN. WHEN IT APPEARED THAT WE WOULD BE HIGH AT REEBO (THE FAF) THE CAPT, PF, SET 700 FT (ROUNDED UP MDA) IN THE ALT ALERTER (FCU). AT THIS TIME WE WERE DOING APPROX 2000 FPM DOWNHILL, AND STILL HIGH FOR XING REEBO. THE ALT XING THE FAF ENDED UP BEING APPROX 200 FT LOW, STILL DSNDING 2000 FPM. WE WERE ALREADY CLRED TO LAND, AND VMC. TWR CALLED AND SAID THEY SHOWED A 'LOW ALT ALERT' FOR REEBO. I (PNF) CALLED THAT WE WERE ALREADY INSIDE REEBO, AND HAD FIELD IN SIGHT. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL, LEVELED AT 1000 FT MSL TILL VASI, AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY, WITH NO COMMENT FROM ATC.
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.