Flight crew in an air carrier medium large transport are given a go around by approach controller after crew fails to visually acquire the airport during a visual approach. PIC commented on being too high to complete the approach.

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Attributes
ACN	376350
Time
Date	199708
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bhm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bhm tower : gfk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	376350
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon arrival over vulcan VOR we were given a vector heading and descent to 3000 ft MSL for a visual approach to runway 23. Visibility was 6 mi in haze and further restr by a setting sun. On arrival over vulcan, I realized I was high for the approach and began configuring for final approach descent. As we were approaching roeby I asked the first officer if he had the field. He thought I said I had the field in sight. Neither of us had the field in sight at this time. When the controller asked if we could get down, the first officer said yes, we had the field in sight. I knew that we were high and needed some room to get down. At this point we flew through localizer course and the controller asked if we were doing a 360 degree turn. I told the first officer to relay we were making a left turn to get down and the controller then gave us vectors around to reintercept the localizer course. 3 factors contributed to this event: 1) high approach. 2) reduced visibility from the haze and low sun angle. 3) miscom in the cockpit. I should have intercepted the localizer course and continued the approach to a possible missed approach when I realized neither the first officer nor myself had the field visually.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC IN AN ACR MLG ARE GIVEN A GAR BY APCH CTLR AFTER CREW FAILS TO VISUALLY ACQUIRE THE ARPT DURING A VISUAL APCH. PIC COMMENTED ON BEING TOO HIGH TO COMPLETE THE APCH.

Narrative: UPON ARR OVER VULCAN VOR WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR HDG AND DSCNT TO 3000 FT MSL FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 23. VISIBILITY WAS 6 MI IN HAZE AND FURTHER RESTR BY A SETTING SUN. ON ARR OVER VULCAN, I REALIZED I WAS HIGH FOR THE APCH AND BEGAN CONFIGURING FOR FINAL APCH DSCNT. AS WE WERE APCHING ROEBY I ASKED THE FO IF HE HAD THE FIELD. HE THOUGHT I SAID I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. NEITHER OF US HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT AT THIS TIME. WHEN THE CTLR ASKED IF WE COULD GET DOWN, THE FO SAID YES, WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. I KNEW THAT WE WERE HIGH AND NEEDED SOME ROOM TO GET DOWN. AT THIS POINT WE FLEW THROUGH LOC COURSE AND THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE DOING A 360 DEG TURN. I TOLD THE FO TO RELAY WE WERE MAKING A L TURN TO GET DOWN AND THE CTLR THEN GAVE US VECTORS AROUND TO REINTERCEPT THE LOC COURSE. 3 FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT: 1) HIGH APCH. 2) REDUCED VISIBILITY FROM THE HAZE AND LOW SUN ANGLE. 3) MISCOM IN THE COCKPIT. I SHOULD HAVE INTERCEPTED THE LOC COURSE AND CONTINUED THE APCH TO A POSSIBLE MISSED APCH WHEN I REALIZED NEITHER THE FO NOR MYSELF HAD THE FIELD VISUALLY.

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.