B737-700
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150
Situational Awareness; Fatigue; Confusion
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Airport; Human Factors
We were descending on a visual approach for Runway 16R at MAF airport from the west in good VMC conditions. I had been into MAF before and knew how it was located between the two towns. Both Pilots had trouble seeing the airport at first (outside 20 miles). We were navigating direct to MAF VOR which is about five miles north of MAF and I soon spotted the airport by using the Map display and orientation of Midland and Odessa. I was trying to help the Captain to find the airport while the Tower Controller was asking if we had [the airport in sight]. We asked for a vector for a right base to 16R. When the Captain first saw the airport; we were about six miles and approaching final course; but we were still too high to make a stable approach. We then asked Tower for a left 270 degree turn back to final. While we were making the turn and configuring flaps; the Captain had about 200-300 FPM descent with the autopilot on. Tower called some traffic near the airport and the Captain asked me what would be a good altitude to put in the window and I misjudged the pattern altitude at 4;000 FT MSL. As we were turning in the maneuver; we noticed some radio towers; one to my right and another to the Captain's left; so he leveled off the descent. At that same moment; the Tower gave us an altitude alert and to check our altitude. We were about 4;000 FT MSL and the Captain started to climb back up to 4;500 FT. We rolled out on final for 16R and continued to configure for landing; corrected our glidepath and made a normal landing to 16R. We did not receive any Ground Proximity Warnings or Alerts. I did have my terrain selected on my PFD and noticed many green square obstacles around the vicinity; but we were not too close or over any of them.
We were on a right base for the visual approach. When I finally acquired the runway; we were too high to turn onto final and we requested a left 270 degree turn back to final to lose the required altitude.
A B737-700 flight crew; cleared for a visual approach from a long left base to MAF Runway 16R; determined they were too high and requested a 270 degree turn to lose altitude and establish a stabilized approach. While doing so they allowed their altitude to get too low and the Tower advised of a low altitude alert. They corrected their rate of descent and contintued to an uneventful landing.