Q400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors
[I was] flying with a brand new First Officer on first trip off of IOE on first IMC approach. On approach ATC cleared us to descend to 2;500; give a heading to intercept the course and cleared us for the ILS. It was IMC on the Approach; Clear below. 2;500 was selected in the alerter and we started descent. APP was selected on autopilot which armed the localizer (LOC) and glideslope (GS) and was observed. Standard calls were made of LOC alive GS alive. As we approached restriction a combination of things occurred. The Altitude Alerter was scrolled down to Field Elevation. (In Hindsight it may have occurred before we had captured the altitude); The First Officer disconnected the autopilot and I knocked all my approach plates off the holder on the yoke. I went heads down to gather all my charts which had scattered. In hindsight I must have missed the final approach call; because when I came heads back up we were well below GS. ATC called and confirmed altimeter setting with us and said we had a Low Altitude Alert. The descent was stopped and correction was made promptly to correct for the deviation. GS was promptly captured and we continued into VMC and then to landing. After being cleared for the approach and the autopilot signaled capturing the assigned altitude the altitude selector was scrolled down to field elevation prematurely. Simultaneously the brand new First Officer disconnected the autopilot and continued descent without capturing the GS even after it was called alive. In hindsight I missed the Final Approach call and when I came heads back up we were below GS.
Q400 Captain describes an ILS approach flown by a new First Officer that results in a low altitude alert from ATC. The reporter had become distracted when his approach charts fell to the floor nearing glideslope intercept. The MCP altitude may have been reset to field elevation prior to altitude or glideslope intercept.