MD-88
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 138; Flight Crew Total 11000; Flight Crew Type 4096
Physiological - Other; Time Pressure; Workload
Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Weather
Had been vectored for approach to other runway; but recognized that we would be unable to conduct the approach because of the intensity of weather returns on final. We requested and received vectors to the south runway and quickly briefed the approach. We were given a vector to join final and cleared for the approach. At the FAF we configured and began normal descent procedures. We initially had visual contact with the runway but momentarily lost contact as we passed through showers. We failed to recognize our descent through the MDA and were issued a low altitude alert from the Tower Controller and immediately arrested our descent. We were in visual conditions and runway was insight and we continued to landing.Because of the time compression we were unable to give adequate time to brief the new approach and reinforce the nuances of a more complex procedure. Also the dynamic nature of the weather conditions lulled us into complacency and we did not follow through with our briefed procedures and callouts.
After being redirected from their original approach due to weather the flight crew of an MD-88 were not fully prepared for their second; non-precision; approach to another runway and descended below their MDA. A timely low altitude alert from the Tower both prevented further error and allowed the approach to be successfully concluded when the flight crew made visual contact with the runway.