B737-800
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Workload; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airspace Structure; Human Factors; Procedure
The Captain and I discussed not doing a Visual Approach. Passing through about 9;000 feet; we were going direct to the FAF; conditions where ceiling and visibility unlimited. Approach cleared us for a Visual Approach. We accepted and started descending to 7;000 feet; the altitude for FAF. At about 7;300 or 7;200 feet ATC advised us the Minimum Vectoring Altitude was 7;500 feet. The Captain immediately stopped descending and went to 7;500 feet until just outside the FAF. We made a normal stable approach.We didn't want to do a Visual Approach when we briefed it. We were lured in by the visual conditions and the fact that that everything was stable and non rushed. It was late. Lesson is; do not do night visuals at airports that you are not to familiar with; try to do what you brief especially around terrain. I did get distracted when I lost my flight deck WiFi when I was trying to pull up a new ATIS on iPad. Don't do visual approaches at night; especially near terrain. Fly what you brief.
While descending on the arrival and approximately 10 miles south of ZZZ; ATC asked us to report the field in sight. It was clear and unlimited visibility. So we called it. When cleared visual [Runway] XXL; I began a descent out of 9;000 feet. I felt that we were within the airspace; but when descending to the FAF altitude of 7;000 feet and at approximately 7;200 feet; we got a call from ATC saying altitude alert. Climb to 7;500 [feet] min vectoring altitude. We immediately climbed to 7;500 [feet] and continued approach. ATC handed us to Tower and nothing else said.During cruise; my First Officer and myself went through all company pages and arrival and approach plates. We discussed terrain and even said that we shouldn't accept a visual approach since it was night time. However; we got direct to FAF and not a usual vector outside the FAF. ATC asked us to report the field. We both evaluated that we were comfortable accepting the visual. We should have stayed with the plan because after being cleared approach; we descended below the ATC min vectoring altitude. Bottom line; be conservative and when flying approaches at night; I will no longer accept a visual approach.
B737-800 Flight Crew reported they descended below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude while conducting a night time Visual Approach.