Narrative:

Flight departed late. By destination ETA, field will be uncontrolled. First officer flying. Captain on radios. Captain long time since flying into uncontrolled field. After departure from atl, ZTL gave ags WX as 35 broken, 6 thunderstorms mist 23/23/003 runway 17 in use. ATC cleared us direct cardo intersection about 40 mi out. After descent to 5000 ft, gave us 'cross cardo at 3000 ft, cleared ILS runway 17 approach to ags.' a very large level 3 echo present just west of cardo on radar, so as we approached cardo we asked if we could pass cardo and reintercept localizer from the east side between cardo and masty to avoid WX. ATC said 'approved as requested, report re-established on arrival.' WX wasn't as bad as reported. Visibility allowed us to see the airport and beacon. Captain was talking to ATC and making position calls on CTAF at this time. We stayed on approximately 100 degree heading for less than 1 min and made our turn on the back side of the echo to reintercept above masty. As we did, we began our descent to 1800 ft for crossing at masty. Captain tried calling ATC to tell them field in sight, but they did not acknowledge. We did not go more than 3 mi left of localizer north of emrnb, but as we descended ATC said we were going below MVA. An immediate climb to 2000 ft (pattern altitude) made. Captain told ATC field in sight. We crossed masty at 2000 ft slightly left of localizer. ATC cleared us for visual at this time. Pilot controled lighting runway lights on as we crossed masty. Final position reports made on CTAF followed by an uneventful landing at ags. Contributing factors: 1) late at night. 2) captain long time since going to an uncontrolled field. 3) WX causing deviation. 4) confusion with clearance 'report re-established on arrival' after cleared for approach. 5) late turning on pilot controled lighting approach lights. Would have helped if they were on nlt cardo. 6) first officer did not catch pilot controled lighting not on till late.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 FLC DSNDS BELOW MVA APCHING AGS.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTED LATE. BY DEST ETA, FIELD WILL BE UNCTLED. FO FLYING. CAPT ON RADIOS. CAPT LONG TIME SINCE FLYING INTO UNCTLED FIELD. AFTER DEP FROM ATL, ZTL GAVE AGS WX AS 35 BROKEN, 6 TSTMS MIST 23/23/003 RWY 17 IN USE. ATC CLRED US DIRECT CARDO INTXN ABOUT 40 MI OUT. AFTER DSCNT TO 5000 FT, GAVE US 'CROSS CARDO AT 3000 FT, CLRED ILS RWY 17 APCH TO AGS.' A VERY LARGE LEVEL 3 ECHO PRESENT JUST W OF CARDO ON RADAR, SO AS WE APCHED CARDO WE ASKED IF WE COULD PASS CARDO AND REINTERCEPT LOC FROM THE E SIDE BTWN CARDO AND MASTY TO AVOID WX. ATC SAID 'APPROVED AS REQUESTED, RPT RE-ESTABLISHED ON ARR.' WX WASN'T AS BAD AS RPTED. VISIBILITY ALLOWED US TO SEE THE ARPT AND BEACON. CAPT WAS TALKING TO ATC AND MAKING POS CALLS ON CTAF AT THIS TIME. WE STAYED ON APPROX 100 DEG HDG FOR LESS THAN 1 MIN AND MADE OUR TURN ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE ECHO TO REINTERCEPT ABOVE MASTY. AS WE DID, WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT TO 1800 FT FOR XING AT MASTY. CAPT TRIED CALLING ATC TO TELL THEM FIELD IN SIGHT, BUT THEY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE. WE DID NOT GO MORE THAN 3 MI L OF LOC N OF EMRNB, BUT AS WE DSNDED ATC SAID WE WERE GOING BELOW MVA. AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO 2000 FT (PATTERN ALT) MADE. CAPT TOLD ATC FIELD IN SIGHT. WE CROSSED MASTY AT 2000 FT SLIGHTLY L OF LOC. ATC CLRED US FOR VISUAL AT THIS TIME. PLT CTLED LIGHTING RWY LIGHTS ON AS WE CROSSED MASTY. FINAL POS RPTS MADE ON CTAF FOLLOWED BY AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT AGS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) LATE AT NIGHT. 2) CAPT LONG TIME SINCE GOING TO AN UNCTLED FIELD. 3) WX CAUSING DEV. 4) CONFUSION WITH CLRNC 'RPT RE-ESTABLISHED ON ARR' AFTER CLRED FOR APCH. 5) LATE TURNING ON PLT CTLED LIGHTING APCH LIGHTS. WOULD HAVE HELPED IF THEY WERE ON NLT CARDO. 6) FO DID NOT CATCH PLT CTLED LIGHTING NOT ON TILL LATE.

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.