Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 197.03; Flight Crew Total 3985.07; Flight Crew Type 2869.47
Confusion; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Aircraft; Manuals; Procedure
IMC conditions in TUS at night with ragged ceilings and rain/snow forced an instrument approach to land. Issued a revised clearance enroute from ABQ center off the field STAR to go direct JOKIM-TUS. Just outside of JOKIM on initial contact with TUS approach; we were given 'upon reaching JOKIM cleared the RNAV Z 29R. There is no 'approach VIA' in the FMGC for that approach; so the only points loaded were SAXIE and ATOGE. FO was the PF; so I loaded VEDTU; it's associated minimum altitude and closed the discontinuity between VEDTU and ATOGE. FO (First Officer) flew a fine procedurally correct approach and was fully configured and stabilized for landing by SAXIE. 2-3 miles outside of SAXIE at 4400 feet; the tower said that we had an 'altitude alert; my min vectoring altitude in your area is 5;000 feet.' We confirmed that we were on a stabilized and established portion of the approach and that the runway was in sight. Flight landed uneventfully after that point.
Air carrier Captain reported receiving a low altitude alert from ATC during a manually programmed approach to TUS during night instrument conditions.