Air carrier widebody transport mae a go around when approach environment not in sight at minimums.

Attributes
ACN	168960
Time
Date	199101
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tpa tower : mdw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 35000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	168960
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	168961
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Uneventful descent and ILS intercept, except head sel button fell of on descent and could not be retrieved. Shortly after OM passage first officer disengaged autoplt 'to practice.' captain asked first officer to reengage so not to chance a go around at minimums. We were set up for 200' AGL decision height making a coupled approach as advised by company policy. First officer immediately reengaged the autoplt. Captain noticed G/south capture, but heading select engaged with no localizer armed or localizer capture indicated. Approach mode was properly engaged and 3 autoplts engaged. Captain advised copilot or the situation and asked him to reset. No change. Next first officer turned off autoplt and reset FD's. FD's engaged, G/south and localizer green. FD showed slightly low but on course, as did raw data. Correction made immediately and decision made to continue FD hand-flown approach. At 200' above minimums all appears normal and first officer acknowledged same. At minimums ground visibility was good and fwd visibility at least 1/2 mi. Runway and approach lights should have been in sight, but weren't. Captain told first officer, 'go around.' first officer executed same. Tower advised. Issued 200 degree heading climb to 5000'. Next approach to same runway coupled to minimums is uneventful. Discussed matter with avionics mechanic. So far unable to ascertain why autoplt approach mode could not be reengaged nor why aircraft was off course to right at minimums.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB MAE A GO AROUND WHEN APCH ENVIRONMENT NOT IN SIGHT AT MINIMUMS.

Narrative: UNEVENTFUL DSNT AND ILS INTERCEPT, EXCEPT HEAD SEL BUTTON FELL OF ON DSNT AND COULD NOT BE RETRIEVED. SHORTLY AFTER OM PASSAGE F/O DISENGAGED AUTOPLT 'TO PRACTICE.' CAPT ASKED F/O TO REENGAGE SO NOT TO CHANCE A GAR AT MINIMUMS. WE WERE SET UP FOR 200' AGL DECISION HEIGHT MAKING A COUPLED APCH AS ADVISED BY COMPANY POLICY. F/O IMMEDIATELY REENGAGED THE AUTOPLT. CAPT NOTICED G/S CAPTURE, BUT HDG SELECT ENGAGED WITH NO LOC ARMED OR LOC CAPTURE INDICATED. APCH MODE WAS PROPERLY ENGAGED AND 3 AUTOPLTS ENGAGED. CAPT ADVISED COPLT OR THE SITUATION AND ASKED HIM TO RESET. NO CHANGE. NEXT F/O TURNED OFF AUTOPLT AND RESET FD'S. FD'S ENGAGED, G/S AND LOC GREEN. FD SHOWED SLIGHTLY LOW BUT ON COURSE, AS DID RAW DATA. CORRECTION MADE IMMEDIATELY AND DECISION MADE TO CONTINUE FD HAND-FLOWN APCH. AT 200' ABOVE MINIMUMS ALL APPEARS NORMAL AND F/O ACKNOWLEDGED SAME. AT MINIMUMS GND VISIBILITY WAS GOOD AND FWD VISIBILITY AT LEAST 1/2 MI. RWY AND APCH LIGHTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN SIGHT, BUT WEREN'T. CAPT TOLD F/O, 'GO AROUND.' F/O EXECUTED SAME. TWR ADVISED. ISSUED 200 DEG HDG CLB TO 5000'. NEXT APCH TO SAME RWY COUPLED TO MINIMUMS IS UNEVENTFUL. DISCUSSED MATTER WITH AVIONICS MECH. SO FAR UNABLE TO ASCERTAIN WHY AUTOPLT APCH MODE COULD NOT BE REENGAGED NOR WHY ACFT WAS OFF COURSE TO RIGHT AT MINIMUMS.

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