The MDA states the minimum altitude in MSL to safely fly above any obstructions or terrain in the final approach flight-path before visual contact with the runway is made.
Although both pilots were based in Zürich[REF] and the CVR picks up Lutz's query to Loehrer about Loehrer's familiarity with "the 28 approach", which Loehrer confirmed he had,[REF] Lutz put the plane into an overly-steep descent that brought flight 3597 to MDA far too soon.