Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 13; Flight Crew Total 265; Flight Crew Type 9
Confusion; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors
I was cleared for the visual approach Runway 21 into ZZZ airport. After frequency change to Tower I was cleared for a straight in; subsequently I aligned myself on the extended runway centerline and started my descent in SKC VMC (Sky Clear Visual Meteorological Conditions) conditions. When flying over the mountains lying under the straight in approach; I realized that I was approaching too low over the mountains and reduced my descent rate. Nevertheless the Tower Controller alerted me with an altitude warning. I continued the approach after passing the mountains and landed uneventfully on Runway 21.My analysis of the situation led to the conclusion; that while for a standard instrument approach I brief the lateral and vertical flight path according to the approach plate; this visual approach has none; as it is true with most visual approaches. Nevertheless on this specific approach it would help to have an altitude and waypoint over the mountains that helps to plan the approach better than just with the means of the visual assessment. I for myself will determine a minimum altitude and an appropriate waypoint to avoid this situation in the future and stay high enough on the profile.
SR22 pilot reported descending too low over terrain on approach for landing.