Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Communication Breakdown
Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
I was conducting initial operating experience on new First Officer; we had briefed the visual approach to Runway 6 into BHM paying special attention to the antennas and where a safe turn could be made for the right base leg. We also discussed safe altitudes and when to start down from 3;000 FT to 2;500 FT. We had made the right base turn and I had selected the altitude selector down to 2;500 FT and was cleaning up the approach [checklist] when I looked up [and noted] we had turned further East than I had anticipated and the First Officer had started a descent. While getting myself oriented with the runway I clicked the autopilot off and started a left turn back to more of a base leg while adding power and starting a climb when Tower advised he had received a low altitude alert and; at the same time; the GPWS issued a warning. The warning only lasted a few seconds since we were correcting the error. After I got the aircraft back on profile and verified the First Officer was back in the game and looking at the runway I transferred the controls back to the First Officer and he continued the visual approach on profile to a decent landing. The threat was me being heads down and doing a poor job of monitoring; this allowed us to enter into an undesired state (low altitude alert and GPWS warning).
A Check Airman conducting initial operating experience with a new First Officer on a CRJ-700 was distracted by other duties as the First Officer; who was flying a visual approach to BHM; got distracted; overturned to final and triggered a low altitude alert from the Tower and a momentary EGPWS warning. An appropriate profile to an uneventful landing was quickly re-established and no go around resulted.