Narrative:

The first officer was flying the localizer/DME back course approach [runway] 35L. Upon intercepting the final approach course; he turned the wrong way from the correct course to capture the localizer. I told him the correct heading to fly and he initially re-intercepted the course and started to descend on the approach. He then seemed to lose situational awareness of where he was on the approach and started to deviate both laterally and vertically from the published procedure. I commanded a go-around which he did initiate. The tower noted the deviation and I told them that we were 'going around.' we were then vectored back for another approach which was flown successfully and the landing was normal. The weather at the time was reported at 800 broken and six miles; but was in fact at minimums for the localizer/DME back course [runway] 35L approach.the problems were as follows: 1. The weather was much lower than reported. I let him continue to fly the approach longer than I should have; thinking we would pick up the runway visually. 2. His unfamiliarity with localizer/back course approaches. 3. Dispatching [older aircraft] to airports where the only option is a non-precision approach in marginal weather conditions. 4. Had I known the weather was at minimums; I would have flown the approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 flight crew reported receiving a low altitude alert from the Tower on a Localizer/Back Course approach to HRL.

Narrative: The First Officer was flying the LOC/DME BC Approach [RWY] 35L. Upon intercepting the final approach course; he turned the wrong way from the correct course to capture the LOC. I told him the correct heading to fly and he initially re-intercepted the course and started to descend on the approach. He then seemed to lose situational awareness of where he was on the approach and started to deviate both laterally and vertically from the published procedure. I commanded a go-around which he did initiate. The Tower noted the deviation and I told them that we were 'going around.' We were then vectored back for another approach which was flown successfully and the landing was normal. The weather at the time was reported at 800 broken and six miles; but was in fact at minimums for the LOC/DME BC [RWY] 35L Approach.The problems were as follows: 1. the weather was much lower than reported. I let him continue to fly the approach longer than I should have; thinking we would pick up the runway visually. 2. His unfamiliarity with LOC/BC Approaches. 3. Dispatching [older aircraft] to airports where the only option is a non-precision approach in marginal weather conditions. 4. Had I known the weather was at minimums; I would have flown the approach.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.