Unstabilized night approach to runway, landing opposite direction to active runway with tailwind.

Attributes
ACN	125072
Time
Date	198910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl tower : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	125072
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We asked for straight-in to 8L (duty runways were 26, 27). We were 6000' 3 mi outside marker, asked for and executed a 360 degree turn to get down. Crossed outer marker 400' high and flew high approach all the way to touchdown. No glide slope was available. Wind 310/7 and our autospoilers were inoperative. Spoilers did not lock manually on touchdown. Captain held spoilers and first officer used reverse thrust. The outcome was ok but could have been much worse. I feel a good dose of get homeitis was a contributing factor plus first officer not stating strongly enough the deviations and his apprehension of a downwind landing with no glide slope and autospoilers at night from very high. I think breaking off the approach would have been better.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNSTABILIZED NIGHT APCH TO RWY, LNDG OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO ACTIVE RWY WITH TAILWIND.

Narrative: WE ASKED FOR STRAIGHT-IN TO 8L (DUTY RWYS WERE 26, 27). WE WERE 6000' 3 MI OUTSIDE MARKER, ASKED FOR AND EXECUTED A 360 DEG TURN TO GET DOWN. CROSSED OUTER MARKER 400' HIGH AND FLEW HIGH APCH ALL THE WAY TO TOUCHDOWN. NO GLIDE SLOPE WAS AVAILABLE. WIND 310/7 AND OUR AUTOSPOILERS WERE INOP. SPOILERS DID NOT LOCK MANUALLY ON TOUCHDOWN. CAPT HELD SPOILERS AND F/O USED REVERSE THRUST. THE OUTCOME WAS OK BUT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. I FEEL A GOOD DOSE OF GET HOMEITIS WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR PLUS F/O NOT STATING STRONGLY ENOUGH THE DEVIATIONS AND HIS APPREHENSION OF A DOWNWIND LNDG WITH NO GLIDE SLOPE AND AUTOSPOILERS AT NIGHT FROM VERY HIGH. I THINK BREAKING OFF THE APCH WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.