Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Airport
We built 2 waypoints F160C and F131B in FMS as a reference point for Express Way Visual 31 into LGA which was the active runway and approach in use. The pilot flying was the First Officer (FO) and since he was not quite familiar with all the local landmarks so that he was still using autopilot with FMS with those 2 waypoints built in on FMS even after we passed DIALS.We configured the aircraft for landing at DIALS and I did not see any problem for altitude and speed control since then. But because we had over 20 knots northerly wind and aircraft did not line up with the runway 31 and were almost approaching taxiway B so we decided to go around. For the second try; we built DIALS on FMS but decided to hand fly with those 2 waypoints just as a reference. This time; the pilot flying; FO; totally lost his orientation where the Long Island Express way is and way off course to the east and since we were still descending; we had the low altitude warning from New York Approach Control. At that time; I took the flight control and climbed back up to 1;500 feet. I kept the flight control with me and landed normal in runway 31.
Air Carrier flight crew experienced a low altitude warning while on second visual approach into LGA. Crew adjusted altitude and continued to a normal landing.