Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 177; Flight Crew Total 1148; Flight Crew Type 1148
Distraction; Human-Machine Interface
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Human Factors
We were cleared to 2000 ft. on the lateral path of Runway XX. I was at 210 kts. and in level change descending to 2000 ft. We called the runway and were cleared visual approach for Runway XX around ZZZZZ. I thought VNAV was engaged and asked for touch down elevation. I did not verify that VNAV was engaged. I asked for flaps 1 and flaps 5 to slow down. I was inadvertently in level change and the aircraft pitched nose down to maintain the 210 kts. I disconnected the autopilot and leveled the aircraft. During the repair; ATC called low altitude alert. We acknowledged that we were correcting and continued the landing normally.
Aircraft automation was selected with LNAV and level change while descending to 2000 ft. Subsequently cleared visual approach and PF (Pilot Flying) started configuring to slow and asked to set touchdown elevation in the altitude window. PF and PM (Pilot Monitoring) didn't verify appropriate vertical mode for phase of flight and aircraft pitched for speed on pitch descent below glidepath. PF disconnected automation and corrected while PM communicated altitude correction to Tower.
Air Carrier flight crew reported receiving ATC low altitude alert during visual approach. Excursion from altitude was due to flight crew failure to verify vertical VNAV mode selected.