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MD80 flight crew, reacting to a close-in visual approach, initiates a rapid turning descent inside the lga FAF, causing a low altitude alert by local control.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 603173 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200312 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lga.airport |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl single value : 1600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : lga.tower tower : mmpr.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument non precision |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 603173 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| ASRS Report | 603166 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : msaw aircraft equipment : altitude alert other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : became reoriented |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
During approach to lga, tower called low altitude alert on lda approach. Captain was flying in clear VFR conditions, given a short approach and turn to final inside final approach fix. Started descent too early, approximately 2.5 mi. Momentary loss of situational awareness was the cause and realized as soon as I started that the picture out the windshield didn't look right. Corrected altitude and landed normally. Supplemental information from acn 603166: on lda-a approach at 1600 ft, looked down at chart for DME for descent, heard altitude alerter chime and tower calling, asking for altitude alert. Captain stopped descent, then continued approach and landed. I should have had stepdown DME in mind before this point in approach and not have had to look down at this time to find information. Timing is everything.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MD80 FLT CREW, REACTING TO A CLOSE-IN VISUAL APCH, INITIATES A RAPID TURNING DSCNT INSIDE THE LGA FAF, CAUSING A LOW ALT ALERT BY LCL CTL.
Narrative: DURING APCH TO LGA, TWR CALLED LOW ALT ALERT ON LDA APCH. CAPT WAS FLYING IN CLR VFR CONDITIONS, GIVEN A SHORT APCH AND TURN TO FINAL INSIDE FINAL APCH FIX. STARTED DSCNT TOO EARLY, APPROX 2.5 MI. MOMENTARY LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WAS THE CAUSE AND REALIZED AS SOON AS I STARTED THAT THE PICTURE OUT THE WINDSHIELD DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT. CORRECTED ALT AND LANDED NORMALLY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 603166: ON LDA-A APCH AT 1600 FT, LOOKED DOWN AT CHART FOR DME FOR DSCNT, HEARD ALT ALERTER CHIME AND TWR CALLING, ASKING FOR ALT ALERT. CAPT STOPPED DSCNT, THEN CONTINUED APCH AND LANDED. I SHOULD HAVE HAD STEPDOWN DME IN MIND BEFORE THIS POINT IN APCH AND NOT HAVE HAD TO LOOK DOWN AT THIS TIME TO FIND INFO. TIMING IS EVERYTHING.
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.