Flight crew of widebody transport missed NDB approach to lga. Made ILS approach successfully.

Attributes
ACN	117415
Time
Date	198907
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 2700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 1350
ASRS Report	117415
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

ATIS: 800' overcast 2 rain, wind 140 degree/10 KTS, approach to runway 4 NDB. Approach control clears us for the NDB 4 approach with restriction to hold 180 KTS IAS to final approach fix (reference speed 132 KTS + 5 KTS wind adjustment, approach speed 137 KTS). FAF 3.9 mi from threshold. Minimums for runway 4 NDB are 658' DH QFE and 1 3/4 mi visibility. When we contacted the tower they advised that braking on runway 4 was fair in touchdown zone and poor in rollout zone. We missed the approach and on the next approach we were cleared for ILS to 4 with a normal landing. For 30 yrs all the training I have received on instrument apches required a stable approach from the fafirst officerm to touchdown in IMC conditions. Approach control issued an NDB approach when there was an ILS and VOR approach to that runway available, and then to use a non precision with unstable airspeed and confign from FAF to touchdown with crosswind, rain, reduced braking to a 7000' runway is asking for a disaster. ATC should not issue clrncs, and pilots should not accept clrncs, which require unstable apches in IMC conditions in turbojet equipment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF WDB MISSED NDB APCH TO LGA. MADE ILS APCH SUCCESSFULLY.

Narrative: ATIS: 800' OVCST 2 RAIN, WIND 140 DEG/10 KTS, APCH TO RWY 4 NDB. APCH CTL CLEARS US FOR THE NDB 4 APCH WITH RESTRICTION TO HOLD 180 KTS IAS TO FINAL APCH FIX (REFERENCE SPEED 132 KTS + 5 KTS WIND ADJUSTMENT, APCH SPEED 137 KTS). FAF 3.9 MI FROM THRESHOLD. MINIMUMS FOR RWY 4 NDB ARE 658' DH QFE AND 1 3/4 MI VISIBILITY. WHEN WE CONTACTED THE TWR THEY ADVISED THAT BRAKING ON RWY 4 WAS FAIR IN TOUCHDOWN ZONE AND POOR IN ROLLOUT ZONE. WE MISSED THE APCH AND ON THE NEXT APCH WE WERE CLRED FOR ILS TO 4 WITH A NORMAL LNDG. FOR 30 YRS ALL THE TRAINING I HAVE RECEIVED ON INSTRUMENT APCHES REQUIRED A STABLE APCH FROM THE FAF/OM TO TOUCHDOWN IN IMC CONDITIONS. APCH CTL ISSUED AN NDB APCH WHEN THERE WAS AN ILS AND VOR APCH TO THAT RWY AVAILABLE, AND THEN TO USE A NON PRECISION WITH UNSTABLE AIRSPEED AND CONFIGN FROM FAF TO TOUCHDOWN WITH XWIND, RAIN, REDUCED BRAKING TO A 7000' RWY IS ASKING FOR A DISASTER. ATC SHOULD NOT ISSUE CLRNCS, AND PLTS SHOULD NOT ACCEPT CLRNCS, WHICH REQUIRE UNSTABLE APCHES IN IMC CONDITIONS IN TURBOJET EQUIPMENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.