B737 captain experienced an aggressive pitch-up as the aircraft approached runway 23 localizer from ...

Attributes
ACN	850185
Time
Date	200908
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	BUF.Airport
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	ILS/VOR
Person 1
Function	Captain
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 238
Person 2
Function	First Officer
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 192
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control

Narrative:

While approaching the buf runway 23 localizer from the left side; the aircraft pitched up aggressively resulting in loss of airspeed with autopilot engaged and approach mode selected. The 'company bulletin' statement on the weather package warns that this will happen from the right side; but it says nothing of this pitch up happening when approaching the buf runway 23 localizer from the left side1. Recommend that the note on the 'read before fly' in the weather packet include a warning concerning a possible pitch up and loss of airspeed when approaching the buf runway 23 localizer from both the left and right sides. 2. Recommend that the problem with the aircraft pitch up while approaching the buf runway 23 localizer from either side be investigated further and fixed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 Captain experienced an aggressive pitch-up as the aircraft approached Runway 23 LOC from the southeast at 2000 FT and 8 miles from the BUF airport. Numerous problems have been reported when intercepting from the north side but the reporter did not anticipate a problem from the southeast.

Narrative: While approaching the BUF Runway 23 LOC from the left side; the aircraft pitched up aggressively resulting in loss of airspeed with autopilot engaged and Approach mode selected. The 'Company Bulletin' statement on the weather package warns that this will happen from the right side; but it says nothing of this pitch up happening when approaching the BUF Runway 23 LOC from the left side1. Recommend that the note on the 'Read Before Fly' in the weather packet include a warning concerning a possible pitch up and loss of airspeed when approaching the BUF Runway 23 LOC from BOTH the left and right sides. 2. Recommend that the problem with the aircraft pitch up while approaching the BUF Runway 23 LOC from either side be investigated further and fixed.

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.

B737 captain experienced an aggressive pitch-up as the aircraft approached runway 23 localizer from the southeast at 2000 ft and 8 miles from the buf airport. Numerous problems have been reported when intercepting from the north side but the reporter did not anticipate a problem from the southeast.