Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 65; Flight Crew Total 9400; Flight Crew Type 2400
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Airport; Human Factors; Procedure
On descent into KAPC; was cleared for the visual approach 18R. We were approaching from the south so I was entering a right downwind. NorCal asked what or which downwind we were doing; we informed them right downwind and they said a left would work better due to oncoming traffic. I entered the left downwind and at 1;600 MSL was given a low altitude alert. The visual approach was challenging from that point on due to rising terrain on the northeast side of the field. When we landed I checked the AFD and saw that 18R is designated right traffic. Not sure why NorCal wanted us on a left downwind instead of giving us or the other aircraft a vector. I will be checking the AFD more diligently from now on and will not let ATC talk me into a corner.
Reporter indicated that an ATC clearance was issued for a visual approach with no altitude and that ATC provided the low altitude alert.
Corporate jet pilot was issued an ATC clearance contrary to the published airport traffic pattern that led to a challenging approach accompanied by an ATC low altitude alert.