Air carrier X controled flight toward terrain caused ATC equipment MSAW low altitude alert warning.

Attributes
ACN	295441
Time
Date	199501
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2800 msl bound upper : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 19500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	295441
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Upon descent into oak 12 mi northeast of airport we were informed of low altitude alert by ATC. We were at 2800 ft MSL cleared to descend to 2000 ft MSL until 6 DME from oak VOR then cleared for the visual to oak. After reviewing charts and approach information I cannot determine why we activated the ATC low altitude alert system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X CTLED FLT TOWARD TERRAIN CAUSED ATC EQUIP MSAW LOW ALT ALERT WARNING.

Narrative: UPON DSCNT INTO OAK 12 MI NE OF ARPT WE WERE INFORMED OF LOW ALT ALERT BY ATC. WE WERE AT 2800 FT MSL CLRED TO DSND TO 2000 FT MSL UNTIL 6 DME FROM OAK VOR THEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO OAK. AFTER REVIEWING CHARTS AND APCH INFO I CANNOT DETERMINE WHY WE ACTIVATED THE ATC LOW ALT ALERT SYS.

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.