Narrative:

While being vectored for an approach on runway 27L at cvg were level at 6000. We asked for a lower altitude as we were high and fast (240K last assigned speed). We were told to descend to 3500' and our traffic on final was pointed out to us. As we were high and fast we requested a visual approach rather than continue eastward. We were cleared for a visual approach and elected to descend first and then slow up and configure later. We leveled at 2000' and because the WX was so clear we were further from the airport than we looked. The controller asked us our altitude and stated he had a low altitude warning. We saw no cause for alarm as we could see the terrain, traffic and airport and were maneuvering for a visual approach and landing. I think the warning occurred because we were kept high and fast on downwind and in order to get down and slow down our flight path took us too far from the airport. By instructing aircraft to slow and configure earlier controllers can keep them closer to the airport environment. Also a clearance 'cleared visual approach, maintain certain altitude until certain point on localizer' would assure adequate terrain clearance no matter how far out your visual pattern takes you. I don't believe we violated any regulations as we were always higher than 1000' AGL over a sparsely populated area at all times during our visual approach and at or above the glide slope during the required phase of our visual approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG ON VISUAL APCH WERE ADVISED BY APCH CTLR THEY HAD AN LWAS ON THEIR MONITOR.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR AN APCH ON RWY 27L AT CVG WERE LEVEL AT 6000. WE ASKED FOR A LOWER ALT AS WE WERE HIGH AND FAST (240K LAST ASSIGNED SPEED). WE WERE TOLD TO DSND TO 3500' AND OUR TFC ON FINAL WAS POINTED OUT TO US. AS WE WERE HIGH AND FAST WE REQUESTED A VISUAL APCH RATHER THAN CONTINUE EASTWARD. WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH AND ELECTED TO DSND FIRST AND THEN SLOW UP AND CONFIGURE LATER. WE LEVELED AT 2000' AND BECAUSE THE WX WAS SO CLEAR WE WERE FURTHER FROM THE ARPT THAN WE LOOKED. THE CTLR ASKED US OUR ALT AND STATED HE HAD A LOW ALT WARNING. WE SAW NO CAUSE FOR ALARM AS WE COULD SEE THE TERRAIN, TFC AND ARPT AND WERE MANEUVERING FOR A VISUAL APCH AND LNDG. I THINK THE WARNING OCCURRED BECAUSE WE WERE KEPT HIGH AND FAST ON DOWNWIND AND IN ORDER TO GET DOWN AND SLOW DOWN OUR FLT PATH TOOK US TOO FAR FROM THE ARPT. BY INSTRUCTING ACFT TO SLOW AND CONFIGURE EARLIER CTLRS CAN KEEP THEM CLOSER TO THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT. ALSO A CLRNC 'CLRED VISUAL APCH, MAINTAIN CERTAIN ALT UNTIL CERTAIN POINT ON LOC' WOULD ASSURE ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLRNC NO MATTER HOW FAR OUT YOUR VISUAL PATTERN TAKES YOU. I DON'T BELIEVE WE VIOLATED ANY REGS AS WE WERE ALWAYS HIGHER THAN 1000' AGL OVER A SPARSELY POPULATED AREA AT ALL TIMES DURING OUR VISUAL APCH AND AT OR ABOVE THE GLIDE SLOPE DURING THE REQUIRED PHASE OF OUR VISUAL APCH.

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.