An A319 crew approaching an airport VFR captured the glideslope before the localizer and began a des...

Attributes
ACN	822890
Time
Date	200902
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Approach Coupler
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 80 Flight Crew Type 30
Person 2
Function	Local
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT

Narrative:

We were on approach to ZZZ and approximately 12 miles from the airport at 3;000 ft MSL. Cleared direct to FAF and asked to report the field in sight. We began to configure with flaps 1 degree and then flaps 2 degrees. The captain stated that he had the field in sight; and I thought that I did also; and we were cleared for the visual to runway 36. It was going to be a 90 degree turn from our heading to final and the captain called for flaps 2 degrees. The glideslope was active captured but the localizer was not active yet. I saw the captain put 1;900 ft in the FCU and begin a turn toward the airport. I looked outside quickly for the airport and the captain called for flaps 3 degrees and then flaps full landing check. I verified that we were still on the GS (it was centered right on) and selected flaps 3 degrees and full. I grabbed the checklist and was looking heads down to find the correct checklist and began reading and verifying the landing checklist. As I was reading the flaps full; full and green we got a call from ATC querying as to our altitude stating that the minimum altitude in our area was 2;400 ft. At that time we got a 'terrain; pull up' warning from the GPWS. The captain executed the recovery and we climbed back up to 2;400 ft. We followed ATC's instructions to the airport and landed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An A319 crew approaching an airport VFR captured the glideslope before the localizer and began a descent before identifying the airport. The false glideslope descended them early until the EGPWS alerted and ATC called low altitude alert.

Narrative: We were on approach to ZZZ and approximately 12 miles from the airport at 3;000 FT MSL. Cleared direct to FAF and asked to report the field in sight. We began to configure with flaps 1 degree and then flaps 2 degrees. The Captain stated that he had the field in sight; and I thought that I did also; and we were cleared for the visual to Runway 36. It was going to be a 90 degree turn from our heading to final and the Captain called for flaps 2 degrees. The glideslope was active captured but the LOC was not active yet. I saw the Captain put 1;900 FT in the FCU and begin a turn toward the airport. I looked outside quickly for the airport and the Captain called for flaps 3 degrees and then flaps full landing check. I verified that we were still on the GS (it was centered right on) and selected flaps 3 degrees and full. I grabbed the checklist and was looking heads down to find the correct checklist and began reading and verifying the landing checklist. As I was reading the flaps full; full and green we got a call from ATC querying as to our altitude stating that the minimum altitude in our area was 2;400 FT. At that time we got a 'Terrain; Pull up' warning from the GPWS. The Captain executed the recovery and we climbed back up to 2;400 FT. We followed ATC's instructions to the airport and landed.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

An A319 crew approaching an airport VFR captured the glideslope before the localizer and began a descent before identifying the airport. The false glideslope descended them early until the egpws alerted and ATC called low altitude alert.