TBM 700/TBM 850
Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 23; Flight Crew Total 1094; Flight Crew Type 457
Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors
I was descending on a visual approach to SQL using the Vertical Speed Required (VSR) field from my GPS. I neglected to level off at 1;000 FT to intercept the VASI. The Tower gave me a low altitude alert and I corrected.
A TBM-850 pilot; in daylight VMC; received a low altitude alert from the Tower when he failed to transition from monitoring a GPS generated 'required rate of descent' to visually monitoring the PAPI adjacent to the runway of intended landing.