B737 FLT CREW REPORTS DESCENDING BELOW GS DURING NIGHT VISUAL APPROACH AND RECEIVING GPWS OBSTACLE WARNING.
Synopsis
B737 FLT CREW REPORTS DESCENDING BELOW GS DURING NIGHT VISUAL APPROACH AND RECEIVING GPWS OBSTACLE WARNING.
Narrative
FLYING AS CAPT; MY LEG TO ZZZ; NIGHT VMC; WE WERE VECTORED TO INTERCEPT FINAL FOR RWY. WHEN WE HAD INTERCEPTED AND CONFIRMING RWY IN SIGHT; WE WERE CLRED THE VISUAL APCH; APPROX 20 MI OUT. I DIRECTED THE FO TO SET 2200 FT IN THE ALT WINDOW. THAT FAR ON FINAL; THE ILS SIGNAL WAS 'WOBBLY;' CAUSING THE ACFT TO OSCILLATE BACK AND FORTH; SO I DECIDED TO HAND FLY TO SMOOTH OUT THE FLT PATH. IN SO DOING; I INADVERTENTLY DSNDED BELOW THE FAF ALT; PROBABLY DOWN TO 2000 FT. WE RECEIVED A SINGLE 'CAUTION; OBSTACLE' AURAL WARNING. REALIZING I HAD DSNDED; I ADDED PWR AND CLBED SLIGHTLY. NO FURTHER WARNING WAS RECEIVED; AND I CONTINUED THE APCH TO LNDG. I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE MY ERROR UNTIL 2 DAYS LATER; WHEN I WAS STUDYING FOR MY PT; AND READ THAT RECEIVING AN ALT WARNING AT NIGHT REQUIRES THE CREW TO GO AROUND; REGARDLESS OF PERCEIVED CLRNC OR CORRECTIVE ACTION. I NOW KNOW THAT I SHOULD HAVE GONE AROUND. FURTHER; I SHOULD HAVE LET THE AUTOPLT MUDDLE THROUGH; OR PERHAPS USED CTL WHEEL STEERING FOR ROLL; TO ENSURE THAT THE ALT HOLD FUNCTION KEPT US FROM DSNDING BELOW THE APPROPRIATE ALT. DURING MY PT JUST 3 DAYS AFTER THIS EVENT; MY INSTRUCTOR DID A GOOD JOB OF EMPHASIZING CREW REQUIREMENTS UPON RECEIVING GPWS ALERTS AND WARNINGS. I THINK THE TRAINING DEPT IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE CREWS KNOW THE RULES.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.