Narrative:

We flew the curly 2 arrival to abq. Our plan was to ask for the visual to runway 35, because of more favorable winds and clouds obscuring mountains to the east. I asked for the visual to runway 35 when I checked in with abq approach. The controller said he would ask tower. Tower relayed they were unable runway 35. We were vectored to runway 26. The first officer was flying. We picked up the runway as we were descending to 10000 ft MSL. We reported the runway in sight, and were cleared the visual to runway 26. We had to turn a close base to keep the runway in sight. I noticed the winds at altitude were 310 degrees at 31 KTS. We went to flaps 40 degree confign, and began the turn to final. I thought we could make the slot by 500 ft AGL. We got 'sink rate' warnings on 3 occasions, and made timely corrections. We were busy completing the final approach descent check and getting clearance to land. I don't know exactly when we obtained slot standards, but it was close to 500 ft AGL. We landed slightly long on speed with at least 12000 ft remaining. Analysis: I am really troubled that I allowed tower to sway my judgement, and I continued to fly an approach to a runway with less than ideal conditions, especially when there was a better alternative. During the approach, the visibility was worsening between the runway and the mountains. We really had to work hard to get on ground track and keep the runway in sight. In the back of my mind, I also had thoughts of being at minimum fuel if we had to go around, because no alternate was required, and dispatch had us landing with 5300 pounds of fuel. The approach was not pretty. We had to fully configure rapidly so we could start the turn to final, but I thought we met slot standards by 500 ft AGL. I was pretty unhappy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DESTABILIZED, TIGHT APCH PERFORMED BY A B737 FLT CREW WHEN TWR IS UNWILLING TO ASSIGN RWY 35 FOR LNDG AT ABQ, NM.

Narrative: WE FLEW THE CURLY 2 ARR TO ABQ. OUR PLAN WAS TO ASK FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 35, BECAUSE OF MORE FAVORABLE WINDS AND CLOUDS OBSCURING MOUNTAINS TO THE E. I ASKED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 35 WHEN I CHKED IN WITH ABQ APCH. THE CTLR SAID HE WOULD ASK TWR. TWR RELAYED THEY WERE UNABLE RWY 35. WE WERE VECTORED TO RWY 26. THE FO WAS FLYING. WE PICKED UP THE RWY AS WE WERE DSNDING TO 10000 FT MSL. WE RPTED THE RWY IN SIGHT, AND WERE CLRED THE VISUAL TO RWY 26. WE HAD TO TURN A CLOSE BASE TO KEEP THE RWY IN SIGHT. I NOTICED THE WINDS AT ALT WERE 310 DEGS AT 31 KTS. WE WENT TO FLAPS 40 DEG CONFIGN, AND BEGAN THE TURN TO FINAL. I THOUGHT WE COULD MAKE THE SLOT BY 500 FT AGL. WE GOT 'SINK RATE' WARNINGS ON 3 OCCASIONS, AND MADE TIMELY CORRECTIONS. WE WERE BUSY COMPLETING THE FINAL APCH DSCNT CHK AND GETTING CLRNC TO LAND. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN WE OBTAINED SLOT STANDARDS, BUT IT WAS CLOSE TO 500 FT AGL. WE LANDED SLIGHTLY LONG ON SPD WITH AT LEAST 12000 FT REMAINING. ANALYSIS: I AM REALLY TROUBLED THAT I ALLOWED TWR TO SWAY MY JUDGEMENT, AND I CONTINUED TO FLY AN APCH TO A RWY WITH LESS THAN IDEAL CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE WAS A BETTER ALTERNATIVE. DURING THE APCH, THE VISIBILITY WAS WORSENING BTWN THE RWY AND THE MOUNTAINS. WE REALLY HAD TO WORK HARD TO GET ON GND TRACK AND KEEP THE RWY IN SIGHT. IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, I ALSO HAD THOUGHTS OF BEING AT MINIMUM FUEL IF WE HAD TO GO AROUND, BECAUSE NO ALTERNATE WAS REQUIRED, AND DISPATCH HAD US LNDG WITH 5300 LBS OF FUEL. THE APCH WAS NOT PRETTY. WE HAD TO FULLY CONFIGURE RAPIDLY SO WE COULD START THE TURN TO FINAL, BUT I THOUGHT WE MET SLOT STANDARDS BY 500 FT AGL. I WAS PRETTY UNHAPPY.

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.