Narrative:

We were delayed over 1 hour past scheduled departure before finally 'pushing back' on our dtw-dca leg. I should also note that the first officer was new to the B757; having recently completed initial training. Standard uneventful flight to dca. The ATIS broadcast stated the ILS to runway 1 was currently being utilized. During our descent and handoff to potomac approach; we learned that the approach had changed to the river visual to runway 19. The first officer had never flown this approach on the B757; hence; I both 'loaded' the data into the FMC and instructed him as to how we would fly the approach. Dca WX was VFR. On a final vector to the potomac river; the FMC 'dumped' the data. I visually acquired the river; disconnected the autoplt; and referenced 'raw data' to aid our approach. Plus; of course; following the river. I set up 1000 FPM descent rate on vertical speed and 'heading' on the heading bug while slowing to final approach speed. The charted 'recommended' altitudes are 1200 ft at 4 mi; and 900 ft at 3 mi. We descended to between 750-800 ft at 4 mi whereby I quickly leveled off. We were properly over the river but lower than I wanted to or should have been. My fault as I became distraction by the first officer's questions during the approach plus I was basically flying 'alone' hence should have maintained the autoplt 'engaged' instead of hand flying the jet. I maintained 800 ft until the appropriate position to continue descent and landed uneventfully. No violation but bad judgement on my part managing the flight deck.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CAPT FAILS TO MEET RECOMMENDED ALTS ON RIVER VISUAL APCH TO DCA.

Narrative: WE WERE DELAYED OVER 1 HR PAST SCHEDULED DEP BEFORE FINALLY 'PUSHING BACK' ON OUR DTW-DCA LEG. I SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT THE FO WAS NEW TO THE B757; HAVING RECENTLY COMPLETED INITIAL TRAINING. STANDARD UNEVENTFUL FLT TO DCA. THE ATIS BROADCAST STATED THE ILS TO RWY 1 WAS CURRENTLY BEING UTILIZED. DURING OUR DSCNT AND HDOF TO POTOMAC APCH; WE LEARNED THAT THE APCH HAD CHANGED TO THE RIVER VISUAL TO RWY 19. THE FO HAD NEVER FLOWN THIS APCH ON THE B757; HENCE; I BOTH 'LOADED' THE DATA INTO THE FMC AND INSTRUCTED HIM AS TO HOW WE WOULD FLY THE APCH. DCA WX WAS VFR. ON A FINAL VECTOR TO THE POTOMAC RIVER; THE FMC 'DUMPED' THE DATA. I VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE RIVER; DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT; AND REFED 'RAW DATA' TO AID OUR APCH. PLUS; OF COURSE; FOLLOWING THE RIVER. I SET UP 1000 FPM DSCNT RATE ON VERT SPD AND 'HDG' ON THE HDG BUG WHILE SLOWING TO FINAL APCH SPD. THE CHARTED 'RECOMMENDED' ALTS ARE 1200 FT AT 4 MI; AND 900 FT AT 3 MI. WE DSNDED TO BTWN 750-800 FT AT 4 MI WHEREBY I QUICKLY LEVELED OFF. WE WERE PROPERLY OVER THE RIVER BUT LOWER THAN I WANTED TO OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN. MY FAULT AS I BECAME DISTR BY THE FO'S QUESTIONS DURING THE APCH PLUS I WAS BASICALLY FLYING 'ALONE' HENCE SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED THE AUTOPLT 'ENGAGED' INSTEAD OF HAND FLYING THE JET. I MAINTAINED 800 FT UNTIL THE APPROPRIATE POS TO CONTINUE DSCNT AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. NO VIOLATION BUT BAD JUDGEMENT ON MY PART MANAGING THE FLT DECK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.