Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Human Factors; Procedure
On arrival into MROC while dodging buildups and thunderstorms; we were cleared to fly the VOR DME Runway 07 to transition to the (RNAV-F) Runway 25 after TOMAS to land on runway 25. Neither pilot had ever accomplished this combination approach/circle VFR maneuver before. We broke out of the weather and maintained VFR from CYRUS inbound at 4;000 feet. At the time we were Flaps 10 and 160 knots. We should have been fully configured per company policy as we were actually 1;000 feet AGL. The normal urgency was not present as we were not yet abeam the field straight and level on downwind and we were more concerned with the approach being flown correctly; our situation awareness with respect to the mountains and the weather. As the 1;000 foot annunciation sounded; I directed the First Officer to climb up 200 feet to place us above 1;000 foot AGL and we established final configuration in straight and level flight; well before midfield downwind. I felt this was the more prudent course of action rather than executing a missed approach into weather and mountainous terrain in all quadrants from this unfamiliar location. We maintained VFR throughout the misstep and correction and the remainder of the approach and landing was normal.We should have executed the VOR DME approach as if we were landing on runway 07; configuring the aircraft correctly; rather than flying the approach as if it were the feeder to the RNAV approach. We thoroughly debriefed the event after landing.
Air carrier flight crew reported not fully configuring the aircraft at the appropriate time per company procedures during a circling maneuver off the VOR DME Runway 07 at MROC to land Runway 25. The procedure calls for the pattern to be flown at 4;000 MSL which is less than 1;000 feet AGL.