An air carrier large transport made an 'unsafe approach.'

Attributes
ACN	263762
Time
Date	199402
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2300 msl bound upper : 2300
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	263762
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During descent into rdu, we encountered an oil filter bypass light on our #2 engine. Operating manual procedures called for reducing thrust or shutting down that engine. I elected to continue with the engine at reduced idle power. Main factor that influenced my decision was the WX conditions in and around rdu. As I started the approach, I had planned to keep the airplane clean as long as possible. My plan was to follow the 2 engine profile even though I still had all 3 engines running. My mistake was not coordinating this with ATC. The controller had descended us to 2200 ft and basically initiated our turns so that we intercepted the localizer and GS about 1 mi from the marker. Since I was flying at 210 KTS, I went through the localizer and, by the time we had intercepted, we were right over the marker just starting to configure the airplane for landing. We reached final confign at 800 ft. Under the circumstances this was unacceptable, we should have contacted approach and informed him that we wanted a vector to at least 5 mi from the OM. When he started to turn us so close, we should have initiated a go around and configured the airplane properly for landing. As the PF, I was too concerned with the possibility of having to execute a missed approach, but this fixation with the problem made me execute an unsafe approach, thus bringing the possibility of the missed approach that I did not want to do.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT MADE AN 'UNSAFE APCH.'

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO RDU, WE ENCOUNTERED AN OIL FILTER BYPASS LIGHT ON OUR #2 ENG. OPERATING MANUAL PROCS CALLED FOR REDUCING THRUST OR SHUTTING DOWN THAT ENG. I ELECTED TO CONTINUE WITH THE ENG AT REDUCED IDLE PWR. MAIN FACTOR THAT INFLUENCED MY DECISION WAS THE WX CONDITIONS IN AND AROUND RDU. AS I STARTED THE APCH, I HAD PLANNED TO KEEP THE AIRPLANE CLEAN AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. MY PLAN WAS TO FOLLOW THE 2 ENG PROFILE EVEN THOUGH I STILL HAD ALL 3 ENGS RUNNING. MY MISTAKE WAS NOT COORDINATING THIS WITH ATC. THE CTLR HAD DSNDED US TO 2200 FT AND BASICALLY INITIATED OUR TURNS SO THAT WE INTERCEPTED THE LOC AND GS ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE MARKER. SINCE I WAS FLYING AT 210 KTS, I WENT THROUGH THE LOC AND, BY THE TIME WE HAD INTERCEPTED, WE WERE RIGHT OVER THE MARKER JUST STARTING TO CONFIGURE THE AIRPLANE FOR LNDG. WE REACHED FINAL CONFIGN AT 800 FT. UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE, WE SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED APCH AND INFORMED HIM THAT WE WANTED A VECTOR TO AT LEAST 5 MI FROM THE OM. WHEN HE STARTED TO TURN US SO CLOSE, WE SHOULD HAVE INITIATED A GAR AND CONFIGURED THE AIRPLANE PROPERLY FOR LNDG. AS THE PF, I WAS TOO CONCERNED WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH, BUT THIS FIXATION WITH THE PROB MADE ME EXECUTE AN UNSAFE APCH, THUS BRINGING THE POSSIBILITY OF THE MISSED APCH THAT I DID NOT WANT TO DO.

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.