Originally Posted by PEI_3721
But please ALTITUDE before range; incorrect altitude kills you, usually before incorrect range.
Fair comment but not accepted (I did read the report you linked to). Before the approach-proper commences (further out than the FAF, we use 10nm if not doing a VNAV approach) the aircraft would be protected by the Altitude Selector set at the MSA.
Approaching the commencement point as shown by the distance, the ALT SEL is wound down to MDA and the approach commenced. Thereafter, it is easier to monitor your profile error by checking the altitude against upcoming DME distances eg "8 DME, 100ft Low" "correcting!". You know exactly what the error is and how much you need to correct to be back on profile by the next mile. If it was "4000ft, .4nm too far out", it's harder to conceptualise and fix the profile error, high or low.
That said, one-time checks such as checks at the FAF should be as you say: "FAF check 2500ft" (obviously called before you get there!) is more logical because it is a catch-all check, not a profile monitor/correction technique.
Done many hundreds of these; Distance/Altitude is easier than Altitude/Distance.