A320
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 250; Flight Crew Total 25800; Flight Crew Type 1200
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Human Factors
We were enroute to MMGL airport from the north and were given a descent from FL340 to 11;000 feet by ATC enroute controller (Mexico Center). As we approached 11;000 feet we were switched to MMGL approach control which gave us a further descent to 6;500 feet and vectors for the ILS approach to runway 10. The weather was VFR except for a thin layer of clouds above the terrain. As we descended below the clouds on an ATC vector we noticed that the altitude of 6;500 feet given by ATC was too low in order to maintain a safe margin from the terrain. We then leveled off at a safe altitude above the terrain; informed ATC of our level off; and also that the airport runway was in sight. ATC cleared us then for a visual approach to runway 10. We then maintained our altitude till intercepting the glide slope for runway 10 and made a normal landing. The ATC approach controller may have been new and did not consider the terrain or minimun vectoring altitude for the terrain area we were flying in.
A320 Captain reported the MMGL Approach Controller issued an inappropriate and unsafe altitude on approach to Runway 10. Flight crew stayed at a safe altitude and flew a visual approach.