Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 17; Flight Crew Type 1636
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory
Human Factors
The Captain briefed that he would fly the ZZZ ILS 27R. On the arrival abeam the FAF we called the airport in sight and were subsequently cleared #1 for the visual approach. In the turn towards the final approach I lost sight of the runway. I was expecting the Captain to maneuver the aircraft to align the airplane with the approach course prior to; or at; the FAF. He turned well inside the FAF to intercept a 3 mile final. I was not expecting this and felt behind the aircraft. While on the base leg we received a radio call from Tower 'low altitude alert; below minimum vectoring altitude.' This left me even more uneasy during the approach. I expressed my concern to the Captain. The Captain was able to re-cage my situational awareness and continued the visual approach. We rolled out on final; stabilized on glide path and made an uneventful landing. We thoroughly debriefed the flight; with much attention on the approach.
The FO (First Officer) had never been into ZZZ; and I hadn't been there for years. Briefing the approach; I handled the terrain" item by saying something silly like "I don't know of any." In fact there was no high terrain; but there were close-in obstacles. I mentioned that we might well get a slam dunk visual but I did not communicate to the FO my idea of normally being comfortable joining the final on visual approaches inside the FAF; about 3 miles out at 1;000 feet AGL. If I had done that fuller briefing; he would not have been surprised when I later pointed the aircraft inside the FAF. Descending on the arrival; we noted that the procedure put us on a long final for the ILS to 27R; but we both got the impression that we would be #1 to the airport and slam dunked. On downwind abeam the airport we were descended to 3;000 feet and then cleared for the visual approach. I headed over toward the ILS FAF and descended toward its crossing altitude; 2;100 feet; while I evaluated the position and energy. I saw that we were in a position to join a 3-mile final in a stabilized condition. Focusing visually on the right base leg and the airport; we were at about 1;700 feet on about a three mile base. At this time ATC transmitted; "Low altitude alert; minimum vectoring altitude is 2;100 feet." Our path looked clear ahead and on final to the right; and I did not consider ATC's radar vectoring altitude to exactly apply to our operation. Still; they were trying to tell us something! I looked to the left and saw downtown; laterally closer than desired but certainly more than 2;000 feet horizontally. I shallowed the descent as much as I could without going too high to be stabilized on final. We joined the final and landed normally.By inadequately studying and briefing the airport's visual flying environment; I did a night visual approach that was safe but that (1) concerned ATC; (2) concerned my flying partner; and (3) worst of all; surprised me about our proximity to downtown because I had not identified the high buildings as a threat."
Air Carrier flight crew reported crew communication breakdown during approach resulted in a CFTT event.