B737-800
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Total 17600
Situational Awareness
Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Weather; Human Factors; Procedure
During approach to JFK's VOR or GPS 13L/R. Weather Overcast 1;000 feet. Wind was light. Captain was flying. I was the pilot monitoring. Approaching MINS I saw and called the lights and airport at 12-1 O'clock. The Captain disconnected the autopilot and called for vertical speed down 700. It became apparent that the rate was too much for the distance from the runway; and the Captain corrected by shallowing the descent. We continued for a normal touchdown on JFK's Runway 13L. I think this would be a good approach to see in training. It can be challenging when the ceiling is near minimums and transitioning to a visual descending turn to landing on 13L.
The approach being flown was the JFK VOR or GPS 13L. I don't recall the ATIS reported WX; but it was at or near minimums for the approach. I was the pilot flying. In the approach brief I asked the First Officer (FO) for a V/S of 700 feet/min down at DMYHL in order to have a reference as there would be no glideslope. I believe that we were configured to land at CRI. We broke out of a BKN cloud layer at DMYHL and acquired the runway. The FO put in V/S 700 feet down as I started a descent. I descended 200-300 feet by the time I realized the 800 feet at DMYHL is too low to start down with 3.6 miles to go-around the corner to the 13L runway. I leveled off a little above 500 feet. At about that time the Tower called a warning about our altitude. With a clear view of the runway and level; I continued around the corner then descended to land. I have flown this approach sporadically over the span of many years. Recognizing that 800 feet at DMYHL is low; for the distance remaining to the runway; is the key to doing it well.
B737-800 flight crew descending early from minimums for landing on Runway 13L at JFK using the VOR or GPS RWY 13L/R approach with a ceiling of 1;000 feet. The Captain recognizes the error at the same time the Tower issues a low altitude alert. Flight continues to a normal landing.