ATC issued low altitude alert to C550 on approach to mry.

Attributes
ACN	619137
Time
Date	200405
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mry.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation II S2/Bravo
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer only : 28l
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : instrument non precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 11400 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	619137
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After being cleared for the localizer runway 28L approach into mry. Inside rodne intersection, we were given a 'low altitude alert.' my initial reaction was to verify that we were above published stepdown altitudes -- we were. Then I acknowledged the alert and added power and told the junior PF to climb. We climbed to about 1000 ft above published altitude then norcal verified altitude on published approach which we were always in compliance with, then he turned us over to tower. We again descended and completed the approach. The cause of the alert, I believe, was an excessive rate of descent (outside the FAF about 1500 FPM). The PF (typed co-pilot) flew the approach fast outside the FAF at about 200 KTS. He flew as they train us to do at flight safety, meaning descending quickly to stepdown altitudes and early with leveloffs. Not a good practice here! I should have had him climb immediately upon receiving the alert rather than checking out position/altitudes. I waited about 5-10 seconds before reacting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC ISSUED LOW ALT ALERT TO C550 ON APCH TO MRY.

Narrative: AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE LOC RWY 28L APCH INTO MRY. INSIDE RODNE INTXN, WE WERE GIVEN A 'LOW ALT ALERT.' MY INITIAL REACTION WAS TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE ABOVE PUBLISHED STEPDOWN ALTS -- WE WERE. THEN I ACKNOWLEDGED THE ALERT AND ADDED PWR AND TOLD THE JUNIOR PF TO CLB. WE CLBED TO ABOUT 1000 FT ABOVE PUBLISHED ALT THEN NORCAL VERIFIED ALT ON PUBLISHED APCH WHICH WE WERE ALWAYS IN COMPLIANCE WITH, THEN HE TURNED US OVER TO TWR. WE AGAIN DSNDED AND COMPLETED THE APCH. THE CAUSE OF THE ALERT, I BELIEVE, WAS AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DSCNT (OUTSIDE THE FAF ABOUT 1500 FPM). THE PF (TYPED CO-PLT) FLEW THE APCH FAST OUTSIDE THE FAF AT ABOUT 200 KTS. HE FLEW AS THEY TRAIN US TO DO AT FLT SAFETY, MEANING DSNDING QUICKLY TO STEPDOWN ALTS AND EARLY WITH LEVELOFFS. NOT A GOOD PRACTICE HERE! I SHOULD HAVE HAD HIM CLB IMMEDIATELY UPON RECEIVING THE ALERT RATHER THAN CHKING OUT POS/ALTS. I WAITED ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS BEFORE REACTING.

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.