Narrative:

Lax approach control had given us a 070 degree heading off the santa monica VOR for an ILS to runway 24R. We were cleared to 4000' MSL and were given a traffic advisory to an aircraft who was straight in to runway 25L. We saw the traffic and advised approach control. We were told to maintain VFR and turn to a heading of 120 degrees. We started the turn and advised approach that we could no longer maintain VFR since we were entering an overcast at approximately 4000'. We were told to 'expedite descent' with a steep turn to 240 degrees and intercept the runway 24R localizer. We entered the turn and were told: 'cleared approach to runway 24R, maintain 180 KTS to romen OM and contact the tower, now on 120.95.' the clearance was read back by the first officer who was not flying. After looking down to set in the tower frequency, I noted that the altitude alert light was on and we were level at 1600' MSL. At that time lax tower advised that he had a 'low alert warning' on the flight and to climb to 2200' MSL. We complied and intercepted the G/south to a normal approach and landing. Of primary concern during this approach were the following: being told to remain VFR with parallel traffic while going into IMC conditions, given the command to 'expedite descent' to 2500' MSL and start an immediate turn to intercept with a restriction of maintaining 180 KTS to the FAF with a tower frequency thrown in on top of the following. It was noted that the altitude alert was set on 2500' & the visual and aural warning did occur. We felt as a crew that there were too many distrs to an instrument approach at critical times so as to overlook basic IFR procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MSAW ACTIVATED ALT DEVIATION 1000'.

Narrative: LAX APCH CTL HAD GIVEN US A 070 DEG HDG OFF THE SANTA MONICA VOR FOR AN ILS TO RWY 24R. WE WERE CLRED TO 4000' MSL AND WERE GIVEN A TFC ADVISORY TO AN ACFT WHO WAS STRAIGHT IN TO RWY 25L. WE SAW THE TFC AND ADVISED APCH CTL. WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN VFR AND TURN TO A HDG OF 120 DEGS. WE STARTED THE TURN AND ADVISED APCH THAT WE COULD NO LONGER MAINTAIN VFR SINCE WE WERE ENTERING AN OVCST AT APPROX 4000'. WE WERE TOLD TO 'EXPEDITE DSCNT' WITH A STEEP TURN TO 240 DEGS AND INTERCEPT THE RWY 24R LOC. WE ENTERED THE TURN AND WERE TOLD: 'CLRED APCH TO RWY 24R, MAINTAIN 180 KTS TO ROMEN OM AND CONTACT THE TWR, NOW ON 120.95.' THE CLRNC WAS READ BACK BY THE F/O WHO WAS NOT FLYING. AFTER LOOKING DOWN TO SET IN THE TWR FREQ, I NOTED THAT THE ALT ALERT LIGHT WAS ON AND WE WERE LEVEL AT 1600' MSL. AT THAT TIME LAX TWR ADVISED THAT HE HAD A 'LOW ALERT WARNING' ON THE FLT AND TO CLB TO 2200' MSL. WE COMPLIED AND INTERCEPTED THE G/S TO A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. OF PRIMARY CONCERN DURING THIS APCH WERE THE FOLLOWING: BEING TOLD TO REMAIN VFR WITH PARALLEL TFC WHILE GOING INTO IMC CONDITIONS, GIVEN THE COMMAND TO 'EXPEDITE DSCNT' TO 2500' MSL AND START AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO INTERCEPT WITH A RESTRICTION OF MAINTAINING 180 KTS TO THE FAF WITH A TWR FREQ THROWN IN ON TOP OF THE FOLLOWING. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ALT ALERT WAS SET ON 2500' & THE VISUAL AND AURAL WARNING DID OCCUR. WE FELT AS A CREW THAT THERE WERE TOO MANY DISTRS TO AN INSTRUMENT APCH AT CRITICAL TIMES SO AS TO OVERLOOK BASIC IFR PROCS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.