Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 57; Flight Crew Total 22000; Flight Crew Type 109
Confusion
Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Aircraft; Chart Or Publication; Procedure
Line selected Bridge Visual to R 29-v and added points GRITY; DOOIN; LAWNE. Altitude constraints of 2;800 [FT] at GRITY; 1;700 [FT] at DOOIN; and 500 [FT] at CHUMR. As depicted on App Plate. Briefed arrival; approach and miss/reject well before descent. Completed checklists and arrival went smoothly. ATC gave us direct and descend to GRITY at 2;800 [FT] and then slow to 180 KTS. After GRITY cleared to descend to 1;700 [FT] and maintain 180 to DOOIN and cleared the Bridge Visual Runway 29. Crossed DOOIN with autopilot off. After DOOIN we began to slow further to managed speed (REF); gear down and landing flaps configured. Followed vertical guidance from FMC to cross CHUMR at 500 FT. FMC vertical guidance seemed to be taking us lower than necessary so used shallow descent and eventually leveled at 1;000 FT MSL. This was right around LAWNE. NOTE: Airport and runways in sight the entire time. Approximately 20 KT headwind while on northbound course. At about the same position as LAWNE; ATC advised receiving a LOW ALT Alert and to check altitude. We acknowledged and maintained level flight until after turning toward CHUMR. At which point we continued descent to a normal landing. Lateral profile was maintained throughout the procedure but vertical straight from 1;700 [FT] at DOOIN to 500 FT at CHUMR takes aircraft too low over LAWNE.
After LAWNE; Tower directed us to begin a left turn direct to the runway (dogleg final); thereby turning inside the next checkpoint Bayonne Golf Course. We crossed CHUMR at 500 FT and continued for a safe landing. After engine shutdown and parking checklist complete; we reviewed the approach page and realized we were not supposed to begin our descent from 1;700 FT to 500 FT until the Bayonne Golf Course.
A flight crew on the EWR Bridge Visual to Runway 29 descended to 500 FT after LAWNE and ATC advised them about a low altitude alert. After landing the crew realized the descent from 1;700 FT should have begun after Bayonne Golf Course.