Narrative:

Downwind leg setting up for ILS 33 to bdl. Altitude 5000 ft; speed 220 KTS. Abeam airport descent was given to 2500 ft. Approximately abeam hadux (12.2 DME) a left turn to 360 degree was given to intercept the loc and I was cleared for the approach. I was cleared to join the localizer at or above 2500 ft. I was level at 2500 ft by that point however. I selected auto approach once steady on the heading or 360 as I could see from the map that we were being turned just inside hadux and we were tight abeam. We also had a 5 or so knot wind from the southwest that would further make the turn to final busy. After selecting auto approach on the MCP; I called for flaps 5. The pilot monitoring was responding to our approach clearance so I backed up my call with a hand signal. He did select F-5. The localizer captured as I began to feel the aircraft make a sharp turn to the left (30 degree angle of bank) and load up (come under g load). I felt this was normal for the speed we were at; and a tight turn to final with a pushing through the localizer wind. Unfortunately at this point my scan really broke down and I was focusing on the map display and airspeed. Not the gyro and altitude. About this time I began hearing from the pilot monitoring; 'dude; what are you doing?' I responded; 'what?' another; 'dude; what are you doing man?' I said; 'what do you mean?' 'you're climbing; why are you climbing?' at this point I finally got my eyes on the gyro and saw that we were about 15-17 degrees nose up still in a 20 degree plus angle of bank left turn. The altimeter was winding up through 3300 ft; but the glideslope was indicating that we were approximately 1/2 dot low! (Yes; I was a little confused at this point!) I disengaged the autopilot; added a lot of power expecting to be getting slow real fast. We did not get slow. In fact we did not slow below 170 KTS; which was above flaps 5 speed. I leveled the wings and stabilized the jet at 4000 ft. I felt comfortable with being able to configure and achieve a stabilized approach prior to homey. I asked the pilot monitoring if he was comfortable with that; and he said yes. We configured to flaps 40; and the glideslope; localizer and map display were all saying the same things. We easily made a controlled descent (1200'/min) to the FAF and I then used the HUD for an ILS to landing. We broke out at around 600 ft AGL. When taxiing in to the gate; I called approach to ask them if they were having any problems with the glideslope and they said no. I then told them we had a commanded climb on the glideslope just inside hadux. We climbed up to 4000 ft and I inquired if that caused them any problems. They responded that it did not and that we had an at or above clearance down to 2500 ft. There was no traffic in the area. What I 'think' happened was that the autopilot captured a false glideslope. There was an aircraft that landed about 6 miles in front of us and was taxiing in. I don't normally select auto approach until I am established on the loc within 10 degrees or so of the final course. I chose to select it on this approach as I felt that I was going to be task saturated with a tight turn to final; and a slight tailwind. Also; since we were at 2500 ft and being turned just inside hadux; I felt that we would be very close to 'on glideslope' on our 360 heading. I was in the; 'it's been a long day and a long flight. I'll take the help from the autopilot mode.' I think the largest contributing factor to this incident was the breakdown of my scan while in the turn to final. The autopilot was established on alt hold and heading select. I had selected auto approach; and was watching the map as we approached the localizer. I could not fathom why the aircraft would climb; as I knew if anything we were a little high. I did not notice if the GS had captured; but I knew the localizer had as the aircraft was in a tight turn to get on the loc. I think the non-standard callouts from the pilot monitoring did not make anything clearto me as to what was going on. In fact I think it added to my confusion. I would have almost preferred that he simply taken the aircraft and we could have talked about it later. We debriefed the callouts and how; 'dude; what are you doing man?' doesn't mean anything to someone that thinks the aircraft is doing everything normally.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 NG flight crew experienced a pitch up apparently from a false glideslope capture; they recovered and landed normally.

Narrative: Downwind leg setting up for ILS 33 to BDL. Altitude 5000 FT; speed 220 KTS. Abeam airport descent was given to 2500 FT. Approximately abeam HADUX (12.2 DME) a left turn to 360 degree was given to intercept the Loc and I was cleared for the approach. I was cleared to join the LOC at or above 2500 FT. I was level at 2500 FT by that point however. I selected auto approach once steady on the heading or 360 as I could see from the map that we were being turned just inside HADUX and we were tight abeam. We also had a 5 or so knot wind from the southwest that would further make the turn to final busy. After selecting auto approach on the MCP; I called for Flaps 5. The pilot monitoring was responding to our approach clearance so I backed up my call with a hand signal. He did select F-5. The localizer captured as I began to feel the aircraft make a sharp turn to the left (30 degree angle of bank) and load up (come under g load). I felt this was normal for the speed we were at; and a tight turn to final with a pushing through the localizer wind. Unfortunately at this point my scan really broke down and I was focusing on the map display and airspeed. Not the gyro and altitude. About this time I began hearing from the pilot monitoring; 'Dude; what are you doing?' I responded; 'What?' Another; 'Dude; what are you doing man?' I said; 'What do you mean?' 'You're climbing; why are you climbing?' At this point I finally got my eyes on the gyro and saw that we were about 15-17 degrees nose up still in a 20 degree plus angle of bank left turn. The altimeter was winding up through 3300 FT; but the glideslope was indicating that we were approximately 1/2 dot low! (Yes; I was a little confused at this point!) I disengaged the autopilot; added a lot of power expecting to be getting slow real fast. We did not get slow. In fact we did not slow below 170 KTS; which was above Flaps 5 speed. I leveled the wings and stabilized the jet at 4000 FT. I felt comfortable with being able to configure and achieve a stabilized approach prior to HOMEY. I asked the pilot monitoring if he was comfortable with that; and he said yes. We configured to Flaps 40; and the glideslope; LOC and map display were all saying the same things. We easily made a controlled descent (1200'/min) to the FAF and I then used the HUD for an ILS to landing. We broke out at around 600 FT AGL. When taxiing in to the gate; I called Approach to ask them if they were having any problems with the glideslope and they said no. I then told them we had a commanded climb on the glideslope just inside HADUX. We climbed up to 4000 FT and I inquired if that caused them any problems. They responded that it did not and that we had an at or above clearance down to 2500 FT. There was no traffic in the area. What I 'think' happened was that the autopilot captured a false glideslope. There was an aircraft that landed about 6 miles in front of us and was taxiing in. I don't normally select auto approach until I am established on the Loc within 10 degrees or so of the final course. I chose to select it on this approach as I felt that I was going to be task saturated with a tight turn to final; and a slight tailwind. Also; since we were at 2500 FT and being turned just inside HADUX; I felt that we would be very close to 'on glideslope' on our 360 heading. I was in the; 'It's been a long day and a long flight. I'll take the help from the autopilot mode.' I think the largest contributing factor to this incident was the breakdown of my scan while in the turn to final. The autopilot was established on alt hold and heading select. I had selected auto approach; and was watching the map as we approached the localizer. I could not fathom why the aircraft would climb; as I knew if anything we were a little high. I did not notice if the GS had captured; but I knew the localizer had as the aircraft was in a tight turn to get on the Loc. I think the non-standard callouts from the pilot monitoring did not make anything clearto me as to what was going on. In fact I think it added to my confusion. I would have almost preferred that he simply taken the aircraft and we could have talked about it later. We debriefed the callouts and how; 'Dude; what are you doing man?' doesn't mean anything to someone that thinks the aircraft is doing everything normally.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.