Captain of A320 took control of aircraft when approach became unstabilized below decision ht.

Attributes
ACN	577052
Time
Date	200303
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord.tower tower : cvg.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
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 type : 2144
ASRS Report	577052
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : executed go around
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Approaching CAT 1 minimums, I elected to 'look out over the nose' and search for ALS. When I spotted strobes, first officer called them. I sat back and reacquired my situational awareness. We were above GS, below decision altitude and ALS no longer in sight. I called for a go around which my first officer executed. Just after flap retraction to 3 degrees, I noticed a slight sink rate, used the priority 'southwest ser SOP,' took the aircraft and re-established the go around profile. Subsequent approach and landing were uneventful. Solution: in future, I will raise the seat and keep the pfd and nd in my scan as I look outside to maintain situational awareness.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A320 TOOK CTL OF ACFT WHEN APCH BECAME UNSTABILIZED BELOW DECISION HT.

Narrative: APCHING CAT 1 MINIMUMS, I ELECTED TO 'LOOK OUT OVER THE NOSE' AND SEARCH FOR ALS. WHEN I SPOTTED STROBES, FO CALLED THEM. I SAT BACK AND REACQUIRED MY SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. WE WERE ABOVE GS, BELOW DECISION ALT AND ALS NO LONGER IN SIGHT. I CALLED FOR A GAR WHICH MY FO EXECUTED. JUST AFTER FLAP RETRACTION TO 3 DEGS, I NOTICED A SLIGHT SINK RATE, USED THE PRIORITY 'SW SER SOP,' TOOK THE ACFT AND RE-ESTABLISHED THE GAR PROFILE. SUBSEQUENT APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. SOLUTION: IN FUTURE, I WILL RAISE THE SEAT AND KEEP THE PFD AND ND IN MY SCAN AS I LOOK OUTSIDE TO MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.

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.