B727 flight crew receives a 'low altitude alert' from the controller during approach to bos.

Attributes
ACN	597273
Time
Date	200310
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	597273
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Night VMC, 10+ mi visibility. Approaching bos at approximately XA00 from the south for vector to runway 27. Approach was vectoring us to follow a DC9 approaching from the north. We were vectored at 4000 ft or 5000 ft MSL onto a wide downwind (2+ mi) for left base to runway 27. We had airport and runway and traffic in sight (at 4000 ft MSL) and called both to approach control. We were cleared the visual to runway 27 behind the DC9. The captain started a descent and continued the downwind to almost abeam the traffic before turning base. I was watching the traffic for spacing and lost sight of the runway as we got lower. When I knew the traffic was no factor, I started looking for the runway and couldn't find it. I couldn't see the rotating beacon either (it should be higher and/or away from the terminal area!). Around 2500 ft MSL, I was trying to correlate the aircraft position/path, instruments (localizer/heading) and captain's gaze to where he thought the runway was. To find the runway. At about 1500 ft MSL, I could tell the captain didn't have the runway in sight either. At 1400 ft MSL, the so spoke up to say the airport was further right than we were aiming and pointed out the landing traffic. At 1300 ft MSL, tower issued a low altitude alert captain immediately leveled off, reacquired the airport/runway, thanks to the so, and we proceeded for an uneventful landing. I should have spoke up sooner and higher about not having the runway in sight. Need to raise my personal minimums for being 'in the slot' from 1500 ft AGL to 2000 ft AGL, to increase reaction time. 'Trust, but verify' still sound advice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLT CREW RECEIVES A 'LOW ALT ALERT' FROM THE CTLR DURING APCH TO BOS.

Narrative: NIGHT VMC, 10+ MI VISIBILITY. APCHING BOS AT APPROX XA00 FROM THE S FOR VECTOR TO RWY 27. APCH WAS VECTORING US TO FOLLOW A DC9 APCHING FROM THE N. WE WERE VECTORED AT 4000 FT OR 5000 FT MSL ONTO A WIDE DOWNWIND (2+ MI) FOR L BASE TO RWY 27. WE HAD ARPT AND RWY AND TFC IN SIGHT (AT 4000 FT MSL) AND CALLED BOTH TO APCH CTL. WE WERE CLRED THE VISUAL TO RWY 27 BEHIND THE DC9. THE CAPT STARTED A DSCNT AND CONTINUED THE DOWNWIND TO ALMOST ABEAM THE TFC BEFORE TURNING BASE. I WAS WATCHING THE TFC FOR SPACING AND LOST SIGHT OF THE RWY AS WE GOT LOWER. WHEN I KNEW THE TFC WAS NO FACTOR, I STARTED LOOKING FOR THE RWY AND COULDN'T FIND IT. I COULDN'T SEE THE ROTATING BEACON EITHER (IT SHOULD BE HIGHER AND/OR AWAY FROM THE TERMINAL AREA!). AROUND 2500 FT MSL, I WAS TRYING TO CORRELATE THE ACFT POS/PATH, INSTS (LOC/HDG) AND CAPT'S GAZE TO WHERE HE THOUGHT THE RWY WAS. TO FIND THE RWY. AT ABOUT 1500 FT MSL, I COULD TELL THE CAPT DIDN'T HAVE THE RWY IN SIGHT EITHER. AT 1400 FT MSL, THE SO SPOKE UP TO SAY THE ARPT WAS FURTHER R THAN WE WERE AIMING AND POINTED OUT THE LNDG TFC. AT 1300 FT MSL, TWR ISSUED A LOW ALT ALERT CAPT IMMEDIATELY LEVELED OFF, REACQUIRED THE ARPT/RWY, THANKS TO THE SO, AND WE PROCEEDED FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. I SHOULD HAVE SPOKE UP SOONER AND HIGHER ABOUT NOT HAVING THE RWY IN SIGHT. NEED TO RAISE MY PERSONAL MINIMUMS FOR BEING 'IN THE SLOT' FROM 1500 FT AGL TO 2000 FT AGL, TO INCREASE REACTION TIME. 'TRUST, BUT VERIFY' STILL SOUND ADVICE.

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.