B737 captain disconnected autoplt, and accidentally triggered go around.

Attributes
ACN	449804
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 6943
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : den.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 35r other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
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 : 14500
ASRS Report	449804
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Landing at den runway 35R. Just inside FAF, I started to pick up intermittent ground contact. Clicked off autoplt and autothrottle and also accidentally clicked go around button. Flight director went into go around mode (nose up, speed up). I continued to fly the approach even though still IMC. Copilot reset flight director. I had drifted 1 DOT right of course and 1/2 DOT high on GS. Flight director picked up GS but failed to heading select mode on localizer bar. Still IMC at about 700 ft, I could still see the ground but no forward visibility. Copilot called, 'you're still right of course, come left.' flight director bars were all centered. I then noticed the small localizer indicator at bottom of flight director was showing we were right of course. I started turn back to runway and we broke out at 500 ft. The runway was at about 10:30-11:00 position to us. I made a turn to the runway and landed fine within the first 1500 ft of the runway. What did I learn: it's what I already knew. At the first sign of trouble on an IMC approach, go around stupid! It's no time to mess with a problem like that!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPT DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT, AND ACCIDENTALLY TRIGGERED GAR.

Narrative: LNDG AT DEN RWY 35R. JUST INSIDE FAF, I STARTED TO PICK UP INTERMITTENT GND CONTACT. CLICKED OFF AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLE AND ALSO ACCIDENTALLY CLICKED GAR BUTTON. FLT DIRECTOR WENT INTO GAR MODE (NOSE UP, SPD UP). I CONTINUED TO FLY THE APCH EVEN THOUGH STILL IMC. COPLT RESET FLT DIRECTOR. I HAD DRIFTED 1 DOT R OF COURSE AND 1/2 DOT HIGH ON GS. FLT DIRECTOR PICKED UP GS BUT FAILED TO HDG SELECT MODE ON LOC BAR. STILL IMC AT ABOUT 700 FT, I COULD STILL SEE THE GND BUT NO FORWARD VISIBILITY. COPLT CALLED, 'YOU'RE STILL R OF COURSE, COME L.' FLT DIRECTOR BARS WERE ALL CTRED. I THEN NOTICED THE SMALL LOC INDICATOR AT BOTTOM OF FLT DIRECTOR WAS SHOWING WE WERE R OF COURSE. I STARTED TURN BACK TO RWY AND WE BROKE OUT AT 500 FT. THE RWY WAS AT ABOUT 10:30-11:00 POS TO US. I MADE A TURN TO THE RWY AND LANDED FINE WITHIN THE FIRST 1500 FT OF THE RWY. WHAT DID I LEARN: IT'S WHAT I ALREADY KNEW. AT THE FIRST SIGN OF TROUBLE ON AN IMC APCH, GO AROUND STUPID! IT'S NO TIME TO MESS WITH A PROB LIKE THAT!

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.