B757-200 captain reports being off course and unstabilized during expressway visual to runway 31 at ...

Attributes
ACN	784950
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lga.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 195 flight time total : 19500 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	784950
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies other anomaly other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

A review of the predep WX indicated the approach in use would be expressway visual 31. While loading the FMS; I was unable to select the approach. I found a note on the flight plan and 'built' the approach manually. About 1 hour out of lga; first officer found instructions to create the approach on our FMC. While on approach; tower instructed us to square our turns to final as they wished to depart 2 aircraft prior to our landing. I overflew the centerline and came back toward the centerline. After lining up; first officer advised that I was getting low. Corrected and made a normal landing in the touchdown zone. I don't fly to lga that much and I had never heard these instructions before. I was unsure of what they wanted and while circling I was overly reliant on VNAV path. The approach felt rushed and unprofessional. I should have declined the instructions and flown the normal approach. I had done an approach briefing planning that I could use outside references for pitch guidance; but still failed to use the VASI as much as I could have. In short; even though I planned the approach before I left; it felt like I never caught up.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 CAPT REPORTS BEING OFF COURSE AND UNSTABILIZED DURING EXPRESSWAY VISUAL TO RWY 31 AT LGA.

Narrative: A REVIEW OF THE PREDEP WX INDICATED THE APCH IN USE WOULD BE EXPRESSWAY VISUAL 31. WHILE LOADING THE FMS; I WAS UNABLE TO SELECT THE APCH. I FOUND A NOTE ON THE FLT PLAN AND 'BUILT' THE APCH MANUALLY. ABOUT 1 HR OUT OF LGA; FO FOUND INSTRUCTIONS TO CREATE THE APCH ON OUR FMC. WHILE ON APCH; TWR INSTRUCTED US TO SQUARE OUR TURNS TO FINAL AS THEY WISHED TO DEPART 2 ACFT PRIOR TO OUR LNDG. I OVERFLEW THE CTRLINE AND CAME BACK TOWARD THE CTRLINE. AFTER LINING UP; FO ADVISED THAT I WAS GETTING LOW. CORRECTED AND MADE A NORMAL LNDG IN THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE. I DON'T FLY TO LGA THAT MUCH AND I HAD NEVER HEARD THESE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE. I WAS UNSURE OF WHAT THEY WANTED AND WHILE CIRCLING I WAS OVERLY RELIANT ON VNAV PATH. THE APCH FELT RUSHED AND UNPROFESSIONAL. I SHOULD HAVE DECLINED THE INSTRUCTIONS AND FLOWN THE NORMAL APCH. I HAD DONE AN APCH BRIEFING PLANNING THAT I COULD USE OUTSIDE REFS FOR PITCH GUIDANCE; BUT STILL FAILED TO USE THE VASI AS MUCH AS I COULD HAVE. IN SHORT; EVEN THOUGH I PLANNED THE APCH BEFORE I LEFT; IT FELT LIKE I NEVER CAUGHT UP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

B757-200 captain reports being off course and unstabilized during expressway visual to runway 31 at lga.