Narrative:

Approaching the airport, the captain gives me the WX that he received from the current ATIS. I looked at it real quick but did not notice the low scattered layer. We were on top of various scattered layers and high. The approach controllers always keep you high at this airport. 9000 ft on downwind leg. Then we start to get vectors for the base and final legs and then was told to intercept the localizer back course. It started to get a little busy, was trying to get down fast, stay on the localizer back course and since I did not expect the low scattered layer, I did not even expect to do the full approach. I thought it was going to be a visual so I did not even brief the approach. The captain was not saying anything, just watching. At one point, I found myself descending fast and the localizer needle fully deflected to the left. Immediately, I corrected and was quickly on course again while still descending. I wasn't aware what the MDA was. Fortunately, we broke out about 500 ft over the numbers slightly off to the right and executed a missed approach. Sometimes I get complacent, which it is very easy to get into. I learned a lot from this experience. #1: pay attention and be aware of every layer of cloud at the airport. #2: never assume anything, always brief the approach and make a mental note of the MDA or decision ht. #3 if the controllers keep you high ask to extend the downwind leg and get it configured real fast and increase your scan. #4: be aware of your distance from the runway or where you are on the approach and at what altitude you should be at that point. I think this occurrence was caused by me not being prepared, the approach controllers keeping us so high, and by me fixating on 1 thing, that is, getting down, and forgetting the approach procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLC POOR PREPARATION FOR APCH. UNSTABILIZED APCH, GAR.

Narrative: APCHING THE ARPT, THE CAPT GIVES ME THE WX THAT HE RECEIVED FROM THE CURRENT ATIS. I LOOKED AT IT REAL QUICK BUT DID NOT NOTICE THE LOW SCATTERED LAYER. WE WERE ON TOP OF VARIOUS SCATTERED LAYERS AND HIGH. THE APCH CTLRS ALWAYS KEEP YOU HIGH AT THIS ARPT. 9000 FT ON DOWNWIND LEG. THEN WE START TO GET VECTORS FOR THE BASE AND FINAL LEGS AND THEN WAS TOLD TO INTERCEPT THE LOC BACK COURSE. IT STARTED TO GET A LITTLE BUSY, WAS TRYING TO GET DOWN FAST, STAY ON THE LOC BACK COURSE AND SINCE I DID NOT EXPECT THE LOW SCATTERED LAYER, I DID NOT EVEN EXPECT TO DO THE FULL APCH. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE A VISUAL SO I DID NOT EVEN BRIEF THE APCH. THE CAPT WAS NOT SAYING ANYTHING, JUST WATCHING. AT ONE POINT, I FOUND MYSELF DSNDING FAST AND THE LOC NEEDLE FULLY DEFLECTED TO THE L. IMMEDIATELY, I CORRECTED AND WAS QUICKLY ON COURSE AGAIN WHILE STILL DSNDING. I WASN'T AWARE WHAT THE MDA WAS. FORTUNATELY, WE BROKE OUT ABOUT 500 FT OVER THE NUMBERS SLIGHTLY OFF TO THE R AND EXECUTED A MISSED APCH. SOMETIMES I GET COMPLACENT, WHICH IT IS VERY EASY TO GET INTO. I LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS EXPERIENCE. #1: PAY ATTN AND BE AWARE OF EVERY LAYER OF CLOUD AT THE ARPT. #2: NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING, ALWAYS BRIEF THE APCH AND MAKE A MENTAL NOTE OF THE MDA OR DECISION HT. #3 IF THE CTLRS KEEP YOU HIGH ASK TO EXTEND THE DOWNWIND LEG AND GET IT CONFIGURED REAL FAST AND INCREASE YOUR SCAN. #4: BE AWARE OF YOUR DISTANCE FROM THE RWY OR WHERE YOU ARE ON THE APCH AND AT WHAT ALT YOU SHOULD BE AT THAT POINT. I THINK THIS OCCURRENCE WAS CAUSED BY ME NOT BEING PREPARED, THE APCH CTLRS KEEPING US SO HIGH, AND BY ME FIXATING ON 1 THING, THAT IS, GETTING DOWN, AND FORGETTING THE APCH PROC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.