B737 reporter captain cleared for visual 22 mi out elected to descend to IAF altitude, but due to hi...

Attributes
ACN	381883
Time
Date	199710
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3800 msl bound upper : 4800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : las
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other enroute airway : las enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 14800 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	381883
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared for this visual approach to runway 25L at las. Our position was approximately 22 mi east of runway 25L on the localizer with the airport and all terrain in sight. Our altitude was 8000 ft MSL. After receiving the approach clearance the first officer asked what altitude I would like in the alert window. I asked for 3800 ft for 'relin intersection planning so as to arrive at relin at 3800 ft.' our tailwind decreased and we leveled at 3800 ft just outside shand, 4 mi from relin. As we approached shand our radar altimeter called out 2500 ft. I told the first officer I was really lower than I wanted to be, but that I had the terrain in sight. I had made up my mind that if the radar altimeter went below 1500 ft I would climb, even though I had the runway and terrain in sight, just to be safe. Approaching shand, las approach gave us a low altitude alert. The first officer responded we were leveling at 3800 ft and approach turned us over to tower. The first officer pointed out that the ILS called for us to be at 4800 ft at shand. Twice before reaching relin I saw the radar altimeter dip to 1500-1600 ft just short of my 'climb altitude.' after I landed I was really unhappy with myself. How could I let myself fall into that 'visual approach trap?' although I had the runway in sight, the terrain in sight, and was constantly aware of my radar altitude, I had violated my company's policy, my own personal rules and good operating practices. Not intentionally or even out of ignorance, but out of complacency. I had descended below published stepdowns while on a night visual approach in mountainous terrain. That same approach, from den to las, I had made 3 times in 2 days and I guess I had gotten casual about it. I pointed out my errors to the first officer who also agreed it was not very smart or safe. And I vowed to myself to not only not do that again, but to sharpen up and be more professional!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 RPTR CAPT CLRED FOR VISUAL 22 MI OUT ELECTED TO DSND TO IAF ALT, BUT DUE TO HIGH TERRAIN APCH CTLR CALLED WITH A LOW ALT ALERT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR THIS VISUAL APCH TO RWY 25L AT LAS. OUR POS WAS APPROX 22 MI E OF RWY 25L ON THE LOC WITH THE ARPT AND ALL TERRAIN IN SIGHT. OUR ALT WAS 8000 FT MSL. AFTER RECEIVING THE APCH CLRNC THE FO ASKED WHAT ALT I WOULD LIKE IN THE ALERT WINDOW. I ASKED FOR 3800 FT FOR 'RELIN INTXN PLANNING SO AS TO ARRIVE AT RELIN AT 3800 FT.' OUR TAILWIND DECREASED AND WE LEVELED AT 3800 FT JUST OUTSIDE SHAND, 4 MI FROM RELIN. AS WE APCHED SHAND OUR RADAR ALTIMETER CALLED OUT 2500 FT. I TOLD THE FO I WAS REALLY LOWER THAN I WANTED TO BE, BUT THAT I HAD THE TERRAIN IN SIGHT. I HAD MADE UP MY MIND THAT IF THE RADAR ALTIMETER WENT BELOW 1500 FT I WOULD CLB, EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE RWY AND TERRAIN IN SIGHT, JUST TO BE SAFE. APCHING SHAND, LAS APCH GAVE US A LOW ALT ALERT. THE FO RESPONDED WE WERE LEVELING AT 3800 FT AND APCH TURNED US OVER TO TWR. THE FO POINTED OUT THAT THE ILS CALLED FOR US TO BE AT 4800 FT AT SHAND. TWICE BEFORE REACHING RELIN I SAW THE RADAR ALTIMETER DIP TO 1500-1600 FT JUST SHORT OF MY 'CLB ALT.' AFTER I LANDED I WAS REALLY UNHAPPY WITH MYSELF. HOW COULD I LET MYSELF FALL INTO THAT 'VISUAL APCH TRAP?' ALTHOUGH I HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT, THE TERRAIN IN SIGHT, AND WAS CONSTANTLY AWARE OF MY RADAR ALT, I HAD VIOLATED MY COMPANY'S POLICY, MY OWN PERSONAL RULES AND GOOD OPERATING PRACTICES. NOT INTENTIONALLY OR EVEN OUT OF IGNORANCE, BUT OUT OF COMPLACENCY. I HAD DSNDED BELOW PUBLISHED STEPDOWNS WHILE ON A NIGHT VISUAL APCH IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THAT SAME APCH, FROM DEN TO LAS, I HAD MADE 3 TIMES IN 2 DAYS AND I GUESS I HAD GOTTEN CASUAL ABOUT IT. I POINTED OUT MY ERRORS TO THE FO WHO ALSO AGREED IT WAS NOT VERY SMART OR SAFE. AND I VOWED TO MYSELF TO NOT ONLY NOT DO THAT AGAIN, BUT TO SHARPEN UP AND BE MORE PROFESSIONAL!

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.

B737 reporter captain cleared for visual 22 mi out elected to descend to IAF altitude, but due to high terrain approach controller called with a low altitude alert.