Narrative:

Although rated in the aircraft, I was designated sic due to my inexperience in southeast alaska. On a visual approach to sitka's runway 29, there was a question about the legality of our approach clearance, which was issued by the center controller. The latest WX issued by the on airport FSS indicated 600 ft broken with 10 mi visibility. With the runway in sight, I continued my approach over the steep terrain east of the airport, while the captain tried to negotiate a different clearance to stay legal. On a 4 mi final I stated my intention of doing a left 360 degree turn to lose altitude and speed. The captain replied, 'no, you're alright.' so I continued a hurried approach, selecting landing flaps at the last second and touched down at vref plus 15 about 1500 ft down the runway. A completely unstable approach. In our haste, we neglected the 'before landing' checklist thus forgetting the thrust reverser arming requirement. Because of the dry runway, our moderate weight, and excellent brakes, we were able to get stopped. I contemplated a touch-and-go when the thrust reversers failed to deploy. Lessons learned: 1) communicate. Captain thought I was referring to WX conditions for my circle, not the aircraft's performance. Captain was 'out of the loop' because of his requests for a different approach clearance. He was unaware of aircraft's speed and altitude. 2) don't let anybody talk you into a bad situation. They may not have the same information or be albeit or recognize all adverse conditions. 3) assertiveness. I know the aircraft's performance limitations but I thought the captain knew something that I didn't. He thought the same about me. Since we are both rated capts, we refrain from 'telling' each other how to fly. In this case we both lacked assertiveness in fixing the situation or voicing our discomfort.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR AMBULANCE FLC MAKES UNSTABLE APCH AND LNDG. FAILS TO USE BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST.

Narrative: ALTHOUGH RATED IN THE ACFT, I WAS DESIGNATED SIC DUE TO MY INEXPERIENCE IN SE ALASKA. ON A VISUAL APCH TO SITKA'S RWY 29, THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF OUR APCH CLRNC, WHICH WAS ISSUED BY THE CTR CTLR. THE LATEST WX ISSUED BY THE ON ARPT FSS INDICATED 600 FT BROKEN WITH 10 MI VISIBILITY. WITH THE RWY IN SIGHT, I CONTINUED MY APCH OVER THE STEEP TERRAIN E OF THE ARPT, WHILE THE CAPT TRIED TO NEGOTIATE A DIFFERENT CLRNC TO STAY LEGAL. ON A 4 MI FINAL I STATED MY INTENTION OF DOING A L 360 DEG TURN TO LOSE ALT AND SPD. THE CAPT REPLIED, 'NO, YOU'RE ALRIGHT.' SO I CONTINUED A HURRIED APCH, SELECTING LNDG FLAPS AT THE LAST SECOND AND TOUCHED DOWN AT VREF PLUS 15 ABOUT 1500 FT DOWN THE RWY. A COMPLETELY UNSTABLE APCH. IN OUR HASTE, WE NEGLECTED THE 'BEFORE LNDG' CHKLIST THUS FORGETTING THE THRUST REVERSER ARMING REQUIREMENT. BECAUSE OF THE DRY RWY, OUR MODERATE WT, AND EXCELLENT BRAKES, WE WERE ABLE TO GET STOPPED. I CONTEMPLATED A TOUCH-AND-GO WHEN THE THRUST REVERSERS FAILED TO DEPLOY. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) COMMUNICATE. CAPT THOUGHT I WAS REFERRING TO WX CONDITIONS FOR MY CIRCLE, NOT THE ACFT'S PERFORMANCE. CAPT WAS 'OUT OF THE LOOP' BECAUSE OF HIS REQUESTS FOR A DIFFERENT APCH CLRNC. HE WAS UNAWARE OF ACFT'S SPD AND ALT. 2) DON'T LET ANYBODY TALK YOU INTO A BAD SIT. THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME INFO OR BE ALBEIT OR RECOGNIZE ALL ADVERSE CONDITIONS. 3) ASSERTIVENESS. I KNOW THE ACFT'S PERFORMANCE LIMITATIONS BUT I THOUGHT THE CAPT KNEW SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T. HE THOUGHT THE SAME ABOUT ME. SINCE WE ARE BOTH RATED CAPTS, WE REFRAIN FROM 'TELLING' EACH OTHER HOW TO FLY. IN THIS CASE WE BOTH LACKED ASSERTIVENESS IN FIXING THE SIT OR VOICING OUR DISCOMFORT.

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.