Narrative:

While on the ILS 21 approach instrument student was flying. Student could not get an exact heading to keep the localizer centered. Thus, when we broke out of clouds we were way left of the runway and way too fast. We could not land the airplane and with the runway available and initiated a go around. Instead of going 'missed approach,' we circled the field, always keeping the airport in sight and landed. This, in retrospect was the wrong thing to do as we should have been vectored for, and shot the approach a second time. I should not have allowed the student to shoot the approach after it was clear he could not keep the localizer centered. As far as the speed of the approach, I was guilty in not getting the gear and flaps down at the FAF. I was too absorbed in trying to see the field and helping the student get the needle centered. In retrospect, I should have taken the airplane, initiated missed approach procedures, and gotten the vectors for the second approach. Also, the WX wasn't exactly an ideal learning situation in this instance because the visibility and ceilings were too low for such a low time instrument student. If the situation ever presents itself again, we will go missed approach and try it again. I think we both had a case of 'get the airplane on the ground' and rushed the approach.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR WITH INST STUDENT MAKES POOR ILS APCH. INSTEAD OF MISSED APCH POINT, THEY ELECT TO CIRCLE TO LAND.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE ILS 21 APCH INST STUDENT WAS FLYING. STUDENT COULD NOT GET AN EXACT HDG TO KEEP THE LOC CTRED. THUS, WHEN WE BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS WE WERE WAY L OF THE RWY AND WAY TOO FAST. WE COULD NOT LAND THE AIRPLANE AND WITH THE RWY AVAILABLE AND INITIATED A GAR. INSTEAD OF GOING 'MISSED APCH,' WE CIRCLED THE FIELD, ALWAYS KEEPING THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND LANDED. THIS, IN RETROSPECT WAS THE WRONG THING TO DO AS WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN VECTORED FOR, AND SHOT THE APCH A SECOND TIME. I SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED THE STUDENT TO SHOOT THE APCH AFTER IT WAS CLR HE COULD NOT KEEP THE LOC CTRED. AS FAR AS THE SPD OF THE APCH, I WAS GUILTY IN NOT GETTING THE GEAR AND FLAPS DOWN AT THE FAF. I WAS TOO ABSORBED IN TRYING TO SEE THE FIELD AND HELPING THE STUDENT GET THE NEEDLE CTRED. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE AIRPLANE, INITIATED MISSED APCH PROCS, AND GOTTEN THE VECTORS FOR THE SECOND APCH. ALSO, THE WX WASN'T EXACTLY AN IDEAL LEARNING SITUATION IN THIS INSTANCE BECAUSE THE VISIBILITY AND CEILINGS WERE TOO LOW FOR SUCH A LOW TIME INST STUDENT. IF THE SITUATION EVER PRESENTS ITSELF AGAIN, WE WILL GO MISSED APCH AND TRY IT AGAIN. I THINK WE BOTH HAD A CASE OF 'GET THE AIRPLANE ON THE GND' AND RUSHED THE APCH.

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.