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A P180 on a non precision approach to sdm received a low altitude alert from the tower even though they were above charted altitude for their position.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 716238 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200611 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sdm.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sdm.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport High Wing 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument precision |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 176 flight time total : 5844 flight time type : 872 |
| ASRS Report | 716238 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : corporate |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : msaw other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Airport FAA |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
On the RNAV runway 08L approach into sdm; we received a low altitude warning from tower. We had just passed yapki; the FAF on the approach. We were IMC; at night and had elected to put in 1000 ft MSL as a final approach altitude to be conservative (chart says 940 ft). This is what we were at when we received the alert. We double checked the altimeters and I checked the approach chart. We had no warning from taws; saw nothing to indicate a problem on taws; we were at the correct altitude for the position on the approach. The terrain there is varied so perhaps that caused the warning. I had noted that in the brief for the approach. Footnote: on a visual approach to sdm several days later we received another low altitude alert from tower; this time in daylight landing to the west over the mountain there. We had good visibility; no taws warning; and felt comfortable with the terrain clearance. We did not even get a sink warning and that is usually a pretty steep visual approach given that tij will not let you descend to a lower altitude.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A P180 ON A NON PRECISION APCH TO SDM RECEIVED A LOW ALT ALERT FROM THE TWR EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ABOVE CHARTED ALT FOR THEIR POSITION.
Narrative: ON THE RNAV RWY 08L APCH INTO SDM; WE RECEIVED A LOW ALT WARNING FROM TWR. WE HAD JUST PASSED YAPKI; THE FAF ON THE APCH. WE WERE IMC; AT NIGHT AND HAD ELECTED TO PUT IN 1000 FT MSL AS A FINAL APCH ALT TO BE CONSERVATIVE (CHART SAYS 940 FT). THIS IS WHAT WE WERE AT WHEN WE RECEIVED THE ALERT. WE DOUBLE CHKED THE ALTIMETERS AND I CHKED THE APCH CHART. WE HAD NO WARNING FROM TAWS; SAW NOTHING TO INDICATE A PROB ON TAWS; WE WERE AT THE CORRECT ALT FOR THE POSITION ON THE APCH. THE TERRAIN THERE IS VARIED SO PERHAPS THAT CAUSED THE WARNING. I HAD NOTED THAT IN THE BRIEF FOR THE APCH. FOOTNOTE: ON A VISUAL APCH TO SDM SEVERAL DAYS LATER WE RECEIVED ANOTHER LOW ALT ALERT FROM TWR; THIS TIME IN DAYLIGHT LNDG TO THE WEST OVER THE MOUNTAIN THERE. WE HAD GOOD VISIBILITY; NO TAWS WARNING; AND FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE TERRAIN CLRNC. WE DID NOT EVEN GET A SINK WARNING AND THAT IS USUALLY A PRETTY STEEP VISUAL APCH GIVEN THAT TIJ WILL NOT LET YOU DSND TO A LOWER ALT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.