Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
Human Factors; Procedure
While turning from base to final on a visual approach to Runway 13; Tower informed us that we had triggered a terrain alert. Around the time of the transmission I noticed we were between on the PAPIs to slightly low on the PAPIs. We acknowledged the transmission and said we were visual with the runway. We proceeded to get established on final and land. On board EGPWS equipment was never activated.Flying a fairly tight base to final turn that necessitated a continuous descent in the final turn.Extending downwind would have allowed a higher altitude for the base to final turn and possibly a more level turn to final that would not have triggered the alert.
While flying a visual approach on base to Runway 13 at DSM; ATC Tower gave us a low altitude alert; and said to 'check altitude.' We confirmed that we were above visual glide slope in reference to the PAPI; and continued onto final; where we intercepted and maintained ILS glideslope indications to an uneventful landing.Base turn to final approach inside FAF for ILS approach.
Air carrier flight crew reported receiving a terrain alert form ATC during approach to DSM airport.