Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Fatigue; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure
The Controller had vectored us directly to CYEG and; when he asked if we had the field and we answered yes; cleared us for the visual. I turned to a downwind heading and extended it to about 9 miles from the field because we were not going to have much of a base leg since the Controller did not give us any kind of offset to setup for the approach. During the downwind to left base for Runway 12; I asked the First Officer for an altitude to descend to. He said 3;400 [FT] MSL. I looked briefly at the chart while trying to see the runway and saw 3;400 FT [FAF inbound crossing altitude] as well as 3;700 FT [procedure turn altitude] on the chart. I said to set 3;500 FT. Prior to course intercept; I saw 1;100-1;200 FT on the radio altimeter while still some 8 NM from the field. I initiated a climb and the rest of flight was uneventful. I should not have accepted the visual. Because I was busy trying to maintain my situational awareness as to the field; I mistakenly didn't question the low altitude given to me by the First Officer.I was assigned this trip Sunday evening and; although I did try lying down before the 'near midnight Central' show time; I did not get any sleep prior to this trip and; thus; had had only two hours sleep in the previous 24 hours.
An air carrier flight crew; cleared for a night visual approach to Runway 12 at CYEG descended too low while on downwind and executed a climb to a higher altitude to position themselves vertically for their base and final approach legs. The reporter cited fatigue as a major contributing factor.