Narrative:

We were cleared to mem via the gilmore arrival. ATIS was listing runway 27, 36L/right as the landing runways. FMS primary was setup for 36R ILS and secondary was set up for ILS runway 9. Runway 36R ILS was briefed. At gilmore, we were cleared direct to aulon for the ILS runway 9. I told the first officer to brief me on the approach while I activated the secondary flight plan in the FMS. We were cleared to descend to 3000 and I began a rapid descent to that altitude as the airport was now very close. Leaving 7000 ft we were called traffic at 12 O'clock 8 mi as an large transport. We reported him in sight and were told to follow him and we were cleared for the visual to runway 9. The first officer lowered the altitude alerter to 1500 and briefed me on the new mins for runway 9. I glanced quickly at the approach plate for ILS runway 9 and saw 1500 as the intermediate approach altitude. As we were visual and 4 mi (less than 10 NM shown on approach plate) from aulon, I continued the descent to that altitude (1500). We were asked our altitude by approach and we reported 1500 ft. They advised they were receiving a low altitude alert. We continued the approach at that point and landed. In reviewing the approach plates after the flight, I saw that the procedure turn for ILS runway 9 is to the south of the approach course and the TCA floor is 1500 south of the approach course and 1800 north of it. Next time I will always look at the TCA plate on a visual approach. I think in the future that I will set up the closest approach as the primary one on the FMS flight plan, and brief that approach. Then, if a runway change is made late, I will have more time to activate the secondary flight plan and brief that approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN WDB FREIGHTER CREW FLEW OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE MEM TCA WHILE ON A HURRIED APCH IN THE VERY EARLY MORNING HRS.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO MEM VIA THE GILMORE ARR. ATIS WAS LISTING RWY 27, 36L/R AS THE LNDG RWYS. FMS PRIMARY WAS SETUP FOR 36R ILS AND SECONDARY WAS SET UP FOR ILS RWY 9. RWY 36R ILS WAS BRIEFED. AT GILMORE, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO AULON FOR THE ILS RWY 9. I TOLD THE FO TO BRIEF ME ON THE APCH WHILE I ACTIVATED THE SECONDARY FLT PLAN IN THE FMS. WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 3000 AND I BEGAN A RAPID DSCNT TO THAT ALT AS THE ARPT WAS NOW VERY CLOSE. LEAVING 7000 FT WE WERE CALLED TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK 8 MI AS AN LGT. WE RPTED HIM IN SIGHT AND WERE TOLD TO FOLLOW HIM AND WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 9. THE FO LOWERED THE ALT ALERTER TO 1500 AND BRIEFED ME ON THE NEW MINS FOR RWY 9. I GLANCED QUICKLY AT THE APCH PLATE FOR ILS RWY 9 AND SAW 1500 AS THE INTERMEDIATE APCH ALT. AS WE WERE VISUAL AND 4 MI (LESS THAN 10 NM SHOWN ON APCH PLATE) FROM AULON, I CONTINUED THE DSCNT TO THAT ALT (1500). WE WERE ASKED OUR ALT BY APCH AND WE RPTED 1500 FT. THEY ADVISED THEY WERE RECEIVING A LOW ALT ALERT. WE CONTINUED THE APCH AT THAT POINT AND LANDED. IN REVIEWING THE APCH PLATES AFTER THE FLT, I SAW THAT THE PROC TURN FOR ILS RWY 9 IS TO THE S OF THE APCH COURSE AND THE TCA FLOOR IS 1500 S OF THE APCH COURSE AND 1800 N OF IT. NEXT TIME I WILL ALWAYS LOOK AT THE TCA PLATE ON A VISUAL APCH. I THINK IN THE FUTURE THAT I WILL SET UP THE CLOSEST APCH AS THE PRIMARY ONE ON THE FMS FLT PLAN, AND BRIEF THAT APCH. THEN, IF A RWY CHANGE IS MADE LATE, I WILL HAVE MORE TIME TO ACTIVATE THE SECONDARY FLT PLAN AND BRIEF THAT APCH.

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.