Narrative:

Flight from pit-alb. We were being vectored from the south for an approach to runway 19 alb. The alb VOR was OTS but FMC data was onboard. Approach clrd us to des from 4000-2000', on approximately path drawn at right. First officer was flying and at 2800' MSL the reflections of snow could be seen on the ground. There were no lights on the ground for visual reference. We crosschecked radio altimeter which indicated 1000' AGL. At 2800' we had 800' to go to clrd altitude of 2000'. This would have put us on the ground or very close. Radio altimeter was changing slightly due to terrain. Aircraft was 170 KTS with 5 degree flaps extended. We never got any GPWS warning which was operating. We started to drift back up while assessing our position and at this time received a clearance from separate controller to climb to 4000' and turn right to 100 degrees. We had already drifted back up to 3300' at this time. We checked FMC (flight management computer) for distance at this time and were 25 mi from alb airport. Thoughts: if WX had been IMC we might have hit the ground. Our attention was gained by visual reference to ground. All landing lights were on, which may have caused reflection from snow-covered ground below. Total flight time for day was 8-9 actual time. Both crew started day early am for home base trip. Flaps 5 degrees (gear up). We were descending slowly (300-500 FPM). No GPWS warning. Radios tuned to ILS runway 19 (VOR OTS for distance). We discussed with approach supervisor on ground. He pulled tapes and filed a report to dca on controllers. There was a trnee and instrument controller. He admitted they were at fault and assured no further problem on our end. He said the alarm on their screen brought the situation to their attention. Their corrective instructions to us would not have stopped us in time from reaching 2000'. 8 aircraft were on approach and controller seemed very busy. Perception: after xchking altimeter 2800' and radio altimeter 1000' AGL, response was 'something is not right.' it took a moment to assess the information available and begin correction. Visual reference to ground was our strongest reinforcement. There was a moment of disbelief in our position. Cbc conversation with reporter revealed the following: company policy does not dictate including MSA when doing an approach briefing and this was not done on the night of this incident. Approach controller supervisor thought an intercept turn had been given but a review of the tapes proved a turn was not given and the facility admitted they made an error. The required operational error reports were sent to dc by the approach controller supervisor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ACCEPTED A CLRNC AND STARTED DESCENT TO AN ALT BELOW MSA. SNOW REFLECTION AND RADIO ALTIMETER ALERTED THE FLT CREW TO THE ERROR.

Narrative: FLT FROM PIT-ALB. WE WERE BEING VECTORED FROM THE S FOR AN APCH TO RWY 19 ALB. THE ALB VOR WAS OTS BUT FMC DATA WAS ONBOARD. APCH CLRD US TO DES FROM 4000-2000', ON APPROX PATH DRAWN AT RIGHT. F/O WAS FLYING AND AT 2800' MSL THE REFLECTIONS OF SNOW COULD BE SEEN ON THE GND. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON THE GND FOR VISUAL REF. WE XCHKED RADIO ALTIMETER WHICH INDICATED 1000' AGL. AT 2800' WE HAD 800' TO GO TO CLRD ALT OF 2000'. THIS WOULD HAVE PUT US ON THE GND OR VERY CLOSE. RADIO ALTIMETER WAS CHANGING SLIGHTLY DUE TO TERRAIN. ACFT WAS 170 KTS WITH 5 DEG FLAPS EXTENDED. WE NEVER GOT ANY GPWS WARNING WHICH WAS OPERATING. WE STARTED TO DRIFT BACK UP WHILE ASSESSING OUR POS AND AT THIS TIME RECEIVED A CLRNC FROM SEPARATE CTLR TO CLB TO 4000' AND TURN RIGHT TO 100 DEGS. WE HAD ALREADY DRIFTED BACK UP TO 3300' AT THIS TIME. WE CHKED FMC (FLT MGMNT COMPUTER) FOR DISTANCE AT THIS TIME AND WERE 25 MI FROM ALB ARPT. THOUGHTS: IF WX HAD BEEN IMC WE MIGHT HAVE HIT THE GND. OUR ATTN WAS GAINED BY VISUAL REF TO GND. ALL LNDG LIGHTS WERE ON, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED REFLECTION FROM SNOW-COVERED GND BELOW. TOTAL FLT TIME FOR DAY WAS 8-9 ACTUAL TIME. BOTH CREW STARTED DAY EARLY AM FOR HOME BASE TRIP. FLAPS 5 DEGS (GEAR UP). WE WERE DSNDING SLOWLY (300-500 FPM). NO GPWS WARNING. RADIOS TUNED TO ILS RWY 19 (VOR OTS FOR DISTANCE). WE DISCUSSED WITH APCH SUPVR ON GND. HE PULLED TAPES AND FILED A RPT TO DCA ON CTLRS. THERE WAS A TRNEE AND INSTR CTLR. HE ADMITTED THEY WERE AT FAULT AND ASSURED NO FURTHER PROB ON OUR END. HE SAID THE ALARM ON THEIR SCREEN BROUGHT THE SITUATION TO THEIR ATTN. THEIR CORRECTIVE INSTRUCTIONS TO US WOULD NOT HAVE STOPPED US IN TIME FROM REACHING 2000'. 8 ACFT WERE ON APCH AND CTLR SEEMED VERY BUSY. PERCEPTION: AFTER XCHKING ALTIMETER 2800' AND RADIO ALTIMETER 1000' AGL, RESPONSE WAS 'SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.' IT TOOK A MOMENT TO ASSESS THE INFO AVAILABLE AND BEGIN CORRECTION. VISUAL REF TO GND WAS OUR STRONGEST REINFORCEMENT. THERE WAS A MOMENT OF DISBELIEF IN OUR POS. CBC CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: COMPANY POLICY DOES NOT DICTATE INCLUDING MSA WHEN DOING AN APCH BRIEFING AND THIS WAS NOT DONE ON THE NIGHT OF THIS INCIDENT. APCH CTLR SUPVR THOUGHT AN INTERCEPT TURN HAD BEEN GIVEN BUT A REVIEW OF THE TAPES PROVED A TURN WAS NOT GIVEN AND THE FAC ADMITTED THEY MADE AN ERROR. THE REQUIRED OPERROR RPTS WERE SENT TO DC BY THE APCH CTLR SUPVR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.