Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 102; Flight Crew Type 16000
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Aircraft; Human Factors; Weather
At the final approach point on the Localizer to Runway 06; I was configured and began descent.  I believe the ceiling was 500 feet at the time of the approach with our LOC minimums at 490 feet or so; so we knew it was going to be very close to minimums.  I had set a higher descent rate than we probably needed and we received a low altitude warning call from the Tower just prior to reaching the missed approach altitude. We acknowledged the call from Tower and they asked us if we had the field in sight. We told them that we were at 500 feet and had the airport in sight. We did cross the MDA at 500 feet with the field in sight. We landed with no difficulties. I think the proper descent rate would have avoided the entire situation. Tower would not have been concerned with our altitude and we would have reached the missed approach altitude at about the same time that we got the field in sight for landing.
The Captain was flying the Localizer 06 due to the G/S being OTS. Visibility was reported two miles and might have been a little better. As we were approaching minimums for the LOC approach; Tower issued a low altitude alert and asked if we had the runway in sight. Initially I responded 'negative.' Just as I said that; I checked my altimeter and called 'minimums.' At that point we both saw the runway; and the Captain responded 'runway in sight; landing.' I reported 'runway in sight' to the Tower; in order to correct my statement given a second or so earlier; and to give them a Pilot report on the visibility. We did not descend below the MDA for the approach until the runway was in sight and descent was necessary for a normal landing. I think the low altitude alert was generated because the initial descent rate initiated by the Pilot Flying was greater than necessary considering the speed; distance; and headwind conditions. This put us down at LOC minimums; farther out from the runway than the point where an aircraft on the ILS would normally be. While we remained in compliance with the legalities of the approach procedure; we could have done a better job with a shallower descent angle to make the approach more stable; and avoid the distraction of the alert from the Tower.
B737-300 flight crew triggered an ATC low altitude alert when they descended steeply on a localizer approach. First Officer cited unfamiliarity with non-precision approaches in older technology aircraft as a contributing factor.