Regional Jet 900 (CRJ900)
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Workload; Time Pressure; Human-Machine Interface
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Human Factors
We were flying back to ZZZ on a clear dark night; arriving on day four. It was my leg (Captain); PF (Pilot Flying). About 20 miles out we were given a vector to ZZZZZ which is about 6 miles south of ZZZZZ1; the final approach fix for runway XXL. The controller asked us to keep our speed up to 210 or better until final as she had other inbound aircraft that she was sequencing in. We switched to green needles and sequenced the approach according to our normal procedures. When we were about 10 miles from ZZZZZ; approximately abeam ZZZZZ1; we called the field in sight. The controller gave us a heading of 080; cleared us for the approach and switched us to tower. She noted that the other aircraft would be following us and to keep 170 or better to final. At this point we were about 5 miles from ZZZZZ1 at about 90 degrees intercept. The heading the controller gave us would take us inside the final approach fix before we intercepted the final bearing. Seeing this; the FO (First Officer) noted that we had not begun our decent to final approach fix altitude yet. I called for the descent; flaps 20 as we slowed to final approach speed. As PF; I noted that the flight guidance would not give us a good intercept because the intercept was too great. At this moment; the autopilot began the turn to final too soon. I turned off the auto pilot and began hand flying. As we began the turn to final I called for flaps 30; and then flaps 45 as we neared the final bearing. As we were completing the turn; the FO (Pilot Monitoring) noted that we were still high and that we should increase our rate of decent; we were about 2000 MSL; I steepened our decent and he selected 1000 fpm as we rolled out. I called for and we completed the landing checklist. Tower came up and checked us in. We had not called at the FAP (Final Approach Path) as we were busy flying. At this point; we were about 4 miles from the end of the runway at about 1800 MSL. The tower gave us landing clearance and noted that we were low as the PF I called for us to stop our decent; and I leveled the aircraft at about 1500 MSL. I noted that I had not completed the turn correctly and we were not quite on final bearing. I corrected and called for zero VSI (Vertical Speed Indicator) and adjusted to get on final. The FO complied and we continued inbound. At about 3 miles from the runway on final bearing our GPWS alarm went off; PULL UP. As PF; I called for a climb and began a climb at about 5 degrees nose up. As we began our climb; the GPWS alarm went off again; saying PULL UP; I increased the climb; and we climbed about 200ft; as we were very close to glideslope. I was about to call for a missed approach; when I noted that the climb had put us on glideslope; and the PAPI's confirmed us on glideslope. Seeing this; I reestablished our decent and the FO called stabilized at about 3 miles. We landed normally; completed our checklists and shut down the aircraft in accordance with our normal procedures. We have procedures and training guidance that should have prevented this. In this case; there were several errors I made on this approach. As PF; I should not have accepted the vector inside the final approach fix with such a large intercept heading. As Captain; I knew that the flight guidance would be unable to make the turn correctly and we would need more room to make the turn to final. I should have asked to continue our course and give the controller other options. This likely would have prevented the whole series of errors. I should have started my decent to FAF altitude sooner. We were at 3;000 feet; 5 miles from ZZZZZ1 as we turned; and I delayed our decent to 2;400 ft. for several seconds as I turned off the flight guidance and began the turn. If we had been at 2;400 MSL we would not have required a large decent in the turn to final. When the tower checked us in at 4 miles and noted that we were low; I should have called for and established a climb back to glideslope instead of just leveling out. We were very close to glideslope and we should have re-intercepted it first. When the GPWS alarm went off; I should have immediately called for a Missed Approach. We were low (hence the alarm) and there is no space or time for altitude errors on final. Any delay calling for a Missed Approach puts safety at risk. Finally; there was probably some 'get-home-itis' in our minds as we were flying. Arriving late at night; at home field on day four; we were tired and wanted the trip to be over. Going missed would have delayed our landing. Also; we were also trying to satisfy the controller who was sequencing us in front of another aircraft. We needed to focus on our flight; not her decisions or problems.
Captain reported an uneventful landing after an unstable approach resulted in a CFIT event during final approach.