<< >> NASA ASRS Report 735188, April 2007

Following a late runway and approach procedure change a MD80 descended below a step down fix early on the tul runway 8 VOR DME approach.

Attributes
ACN	735188
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : tul.vortac
State Reference	OK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1370 msl bound upper : 1420
Environment
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tul.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	735188
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While being vectored around for approach to ILS runway 36R at tul; we received the new ATIS that indicated using GPS 36. We had no plates for that and after asking approach about it; he stated that the ILS was OTS. We then decided on VOR DME runway 8. Set it up; briefed it and was cleared at that time. The approach has a stepdown point to cross at or above 1420 ft MSL at 7.5. I had descended to 1370 ft at about 8.2 and immediately corrected to 1420 ft. However; ATC gave us a low altitude alert. We continued the approach and landed normally. In this case the 700-800 FPM from FAF was too steep and I would have shallowed it out more.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FOLLOWING A LATE RWY AND APCH PROCEDURE CHANGE A MD80 DESCENDED BELOW A STEP DOWN FIX EARLY ON THE TUL RWY 8 VOR DME APCH.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED AROUND FOR APCH TO ILS RWY 36R AT TUL; WE RECEIVED THE NEW ATIS THAT INDICATED USING GPS 36. WE HAD NO PLATES FOR THAT AND AFTER ASKING APCH ABOUT IT; HE STATED THAT THE ILS WAS OTS. WE THEN DECIDED ON VOR DME RWY 8. SET IT UP; BRIEFED IT AND WAS CLRED AT THAT TIME. THE APCH HAS A STEPDOWN POINT TO CROSS AT OR ABOVE 1420 FT MSL AT 7.5. I HAD DSNDED TO 1370 FT AT ABOUT 8.2 AND IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED TO 1420 FT. HOWEVER; ATC GAVE US A LOW ALT ALERT. WE CONTINUED THE APCH AND LANDED NORMALLY. IN THIS CASE THE 700-800 FPM FROM FAF WAS TOO STEEP AND I WOULD HAVE SHALLOWED IT OUT MORE.

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.