Narrative:

Flying the VOR to runway 8. WX was just above visual minimums. We began a company procedures descent to 1420 ft for an intermediate leveloff at 7.5 DME before descending to 1100 ft for the MDA. I called for the first officer to level off at 1420 ft; he began his leveloff but went slightly below; while attempting to correct back; the autoplt acquired 1100 ft and began a descent. My first officer was very new and I had to assist him in getting the jet back where it belonged. We were in the WX fighting our jet while very close to the ground. We need to immediately change our procedures back to the way they were and allow us to set intermediate altitudes on non precision approachs. Our current procedures could have very serious implications.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-700 PLT RPTS DSNDING BELOW A VOR APCH INTERMEDIATE ALT AND HAVING THE AUTOPLT CAPTURE THE MCP MDA EARLY AS THE RESULT OF AN ACR PROCEDURAL CHANGE.

Narrative: FLYING THE VOR TO RWY 8. WX WAS JUST ABOVE VISUAL MINIMUMS. WE BEGAN A COMPANY PROCS DSCNT TO 1420 FT FOR AN INTERMEDIATE LEVELOFF AT 7.5 DME BEFORE DSNDING TO 1100 FT FOR THE MDA. I CALLED FOR THE FO TO LEVEL OFF AT 1420 FT; HE BEGAN HIS LEVELOFF BUT WENT SLIGHTLY BELOW; WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT BACK; THE AUTOPLT ACQUIRED 1100 FT AND BEGAN A DSCNT. MY FO WAS VERY NEW AND I HAD TO ASSIST HIM IN GETTING THE JET BACK WHERE IT BELONGED. WE WERE IN THE WX FIGHTING OUR JET WHILE VERY CLOSE TO THE GND. WE NEED TO IMMEDIATELY CHANGE OUR PROCS BACK TO THE WAY THEY WERE AND ALLOW US TO SET INTERMEDIATE ALTS ON NON PRECISION APCHS. OUR CURRENT PROCS COULD HAVE VERY SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS.

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.