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A DC10 flight makes 2 approach and missed approachs to runway 25L when the WX is deteriorating. ATC had disallowed an approach to runway 24 complex although clear in the early am at lax, ca.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 488749 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200010 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lax.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl single value : 200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Fog other |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sct.tracon tower : lax.tower tower : cle.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 25l |
| Flight Phase | descent : vacating altitude landing : missed approach |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer technician : powerplant technician : airframe |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 488749 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met altitude deviation : undershoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed missed approach other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Airport Environmental Factor Weather Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Weather |
| Air Traffic Incident | Inter Facility Coordination Failure |
Narrative:
We flew an all night trip from south pacific arriving into lax at early am. As we started descent, received ATIS which stated clear skies and good visibility. As we passed over shoreline, we could see city lights below us as sun had not risen yet. As we were turning to final at 2000 ft MSL controller asked if we had runway in sight. I stated we did not and we were cleared for ILS runway 25L and told to contact tower. We were cleared to land and continued approach. At 1000 ft MSL we went into clouds but expected to break out since we had not been warned of any reduced visibility by tower. At 200 ft decision ht we were still in clouds and since first officer was flying aircraft and we had not set up for autoland, we executed a missed approach. We were vectored downwind at 5000 ft MSL for another approach and I could see that north side of airport (runways 24) was in the clear, so I requested runway 24R. Controller said it was not available so we continued for runway 25L again. We were kept high and turned in tight. I remarked to first officer that I don't know if we will be able to successfully set up for an autoplt approach. We were diving to capture the GS and we captured around 1000 ft MSL. Shortly thereafter, autoplt disconnected, possibly because of higher sink rate. We started to go below GS and I called for a go around. This time we were vectored for runway 24R and made a successful automatic-landing on the third attempt. In retrospect, I probably should have setup for autoland on first approach. We had flown all night and were tired and since we had not heard any warnings from controllers, we were not expecting anything unusual. WX was going down very fast. Also controllers cannot turn in widebody transport aircraft too soon and expect them to be able to successfully setup for an autoland approach. When I ask for a runway and I am told it is unavailable, I will want to know specifically why not. Not just because it is an inconvenience to the controller. I will also not allow myself to be turned in to final unless I feel I can make the approach.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A DC10 FLT MAKES 2 APCH AND MISSED APCHS TO RWY 25L WHEN THE WX IS DETERIORATING. ATC HAD DISALLOWED AN APCH TO RWY 24 COMPLEX ALTHOUGH CLR IN THE EARLY AM AT LAX, CA.
Narrative: WE FLEW AN ALL NIGHT TRIP FROM SOUTH PACIFIC ARRIVING INTO LAX AT EARLY AM. AS WE STARTED DSCNT, RECEIVED ATIS WHICH STATED CLR SKIES AND GOOD VISIBILITY. AS WE PASSED OVER SHORELINE, WE COULD SEE CITY LIGHTS BELOW US AS SUN HAD NOT RISEN YET. AS WE WERE TURNING TO FINAL AT 2000 FT MSL CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD RWY IN SIGHT. I STATED WE DID NOT AND WE WERE CLRED FOR ILS RWY 25L AND TOLD TO CONTACT TWR. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND AND CONTINUED APCH. AT 1000 FT MSL WE WENT INTO CLOUDS BUT EXPECTED TO BREAK OUT SINCE WE HAD NOT BEEN WARNED OF ANY REDUCED VISIBILITY BY TWR. AT 200 FT DECISION HT WE WERE STILL IN CLOUDS AND SINCE FO WAS FLYING ACFT AND WE HAD NOT SET UP FOR AUTOLAND, WE EXECUTED A MISSED APCH. WE WERE VECTORED DOWNWIND AT 5000 FT MSL FOR ANOTHER APCH AND I COULD SEE THAT N SIDE OF ARPT (RWYS 24) WAS IN THE CLR, SO I REQUESTED RWY 24R. CTLR SAID IT WAS NOT AVAILABLE SO WE CONTINUED FOR RWY 25L AGAIN. WE WERE KEPT HIGH AND TURNED IN TIGHT. I REMARKED TO FO THAT I DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY SET UP FOR AN AUTOPLT APCH. WE WERE DIVING TO CAPTURE THE GS AND WE CAPTURED AROUND 1000 FT MSL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED, POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF HIGHER SINK RATE. WE STARTED TO GO BELOW GS AND I CALLED FOR A GAR. THIS TIME WE WERE VECTORED FOR RWY 24R AND MADE A SUCCESSFUL AUTO-LNDG ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT. IN RETROSPECT, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE SETUP FOR AUTOLAND ON FIRST APCH. WE HAD FLOWN ALL NIGHT AND WERE TIRED AND SINCE WE HAD NOT HEARD ANY WARNINGS FROM CTLRS, WE WERE NOT EXPECTING ANYTHING UNUSUAL. WX WAS GOING DOWN VERY FAST. ALSO CTLRS CANNOT TURN IN WDB ACFT TOO SOON AND EXPECT THEM TO BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY SETUP FOR AN AUTOLAND APCH. WHEN I ASK FOR A RWY AND I AM TOLD IT IS UNAVAILABLE, I WILL WANT TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHY NOT. NOT JUST BECAUSE IT IS AN INCONVENIENCE TO THE CTLR. I WILL ALSO NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO BE TURNED IN TO FINAL UNLESS I FEEL I CAN MAKE THE APCH.
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.