B767 crew drifted low on final during a night visual.

Attributes
ACN	496700
Time
Date	200012
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : vacating altitude
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 type : 1074
ASRS Report	496700
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Airport Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared for visual approach while on left downwind to runway 19L at iad, from the barin FMS transition. We set the OM crossing altitude in the altitude alert for situational awareness. We both had the runway in sight. However, while on base, we both underestimated distance to touchdown and we got too low by a few hundred ft. We corrected and landed uneventfully. However, we were surprised at how fast a normal looking approach ended up low. I attribute this to the barin FMS bringing us in very wide and a headwind on base. However, earlier that day we observed an MD80 do exactly what we did. It almost seems there is some visual miscue out there.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 CREW DRIFTED LOW ON FINAL DURING A NIGHT VISUAL.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH WHILE ON L DOWNWIND TO RWY 19L AT IAD, FROM THE BARIN FMS TRANSITION. WE SET THE OM XING ALT IN THE ALT ALERT FOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. WE BOTH HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. HOWEVER, WHILE ON BASE, WE BOTH UNDERESTIMATED DISTANCE TO TOUCHDOWN AND WE GOT TOO LOW BY A FEW HUNDRED FT. WE CORRECTED AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. HOWEVER, WE WERE SURPRISED AT HOW FAST A NORMAL LOOKING APCH ENDED UP LOW. I ATTRIBUTE THIS TO THE BARIN FMS BRINGING US IN VERY WIDE AND A HEADWIND ON BASE. HOWEVER, EARLIER THAT DAY WE OBSERVED AN MD80 DO EXACTLY WHAT WE DID. IT ALMOST SEEMS THERE IS SOME VISUAL MISCUE OUT THERE.

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.