Narrative:

While being vectored for the approach to runway 22L boston, we were aware of WX (radar cells) east of boston. We were assigned a heading of 190 degrees to intercept runway 22L localizer. The captain, while making the right turn to this heading, was concerned that it would lead us into the WX. He ceased the right turn and began a turn back to the left. The captain asked the first officer to tell approach we were unable the 190 degree heading. The first officer was unable to hear the captain's statement since he was identing the localizer. Approach then contacted us stating that we were going to cross the localizer and assigned us a 240 degree heading to reintercept. The captain turned to this heading. Now we were left of the localizer and GS came alive and pegged out on the bottom. We had been cleared for the approach and told to maintain 3000 ft until on course. When the localizer came alive the captain started a slight climb rather than the required descent to catch the glide. I am unclr as to whether this occurred as a result of incorrect EFIS programming or whether the captain punched off the autoplt. Passing 3100 ft the first officer told the captain to watch his altitude. The power was all the way back in order to slow to the assigned 175 KT speed. This fact, coupled with the slow climb, resulted in the airspeed bleeding off to 125 KTS within a matter of seconds (flaps were at 25 degrees and gear up on an large transport). When the captain noticed this he immediately shoved the power forward and announced missed approach. The first officer contacted approach and told them about the missed approach. We were assigned a heading of 310 degrees and maintain altitude of 3000 ft. Since the captain began climbing when he announced the missed approach, we were as high as 3800 ft in a matter of seconds before he dropped the nose. The autoplt was definitely off at this point because our altitude varied by plus or minus 500 ft and heading plus or minus 20 degrees until the captain finally established control. Autoplt was reengaged within approximately 10 mins. After landing the first officer began to dial in the ground frequency after we were clear of the runway. I stated that we were to remain on tower frequency. The captain acknowledged my statement and the first officer proceeded to contact ground. We were then told to call the tower when we got inside to explain the reason for the missed approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT HDG TRACK DEV DURING RADAR VECTORING FOR IAP ILS APCH IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR THE APCH TO RWY 22L BOSTON, WE WERE AWARE OF WX (RADAR CELLS) E OF BOSTON. WE WERE ASSIGNED A HDG OF 190 DEGS TO INTERCEPT RWY 22L LOC. THE CAPT, WHILE MAKING THE R TURN TO THIS HDG, WAS CONCERNED THAT IT WOULD LEAD US INTO THE WX. HE CEASED THE R TURN AND BEGAN A TURN BACK TO THE L. THE CAPT ASKED THE FO TO TELL APCH WE WERE UNABLE THE 190 DEG HDG. THE FO WAS UNABLE TO HEAR THE CAPT'S STATEMENT SINCE HE WAS IDENTING THE LOC. APCH THEN CONTACTED US STATING THAT WE WERE GOING TO CROSS THE LOC AND ASSIGNED US A 240 DEG HDG TO REINTERCEPT. THE CAPT TURNED TO THIS HDG. NOW WE WERE L OF THE LOC AND GS CAME ALIVE AND PEGGED OUT ON THE BOTTOM. WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE APCH AND TOLD TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT UNTIL ON COURSE. WHEN THE LOC CAME ALIVE THE CAPT STARTED A SLIGHT CLB RATHER THAN THE REQUIRED DSCNT TO CATCH THE GLIDE. I AM UNCLR AS TO WHETHER THIS OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF INCORRECT EFIS PROGRAMMING OR WHETHER THE CAPT PUNCHED OFF THE AUTOPLT. PASSING 3100 FT THE FO TOLD THE CAPT TO WATCH HIS ALT. THE PWR WAS ALL THE WAY BACK IN ORDER TO SLOW TO THE ASSIGNED 175 KT SPD. THIS FACT, COUPLED WITH THE SLOW CLB, RESULTED IN THE AIRSPD BLEEDING OFF TO 125 KTS WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS (FLAPS WERE AT 25 DEGS AND GEAR UP ON AN LGT). WHEN THE CAPT NOTICED THIS HE IMMEDIATELY SHOVED THE PWR FORWARD AND ANNOUNCED MISSED APCH. THE FO CONTACTED APCH AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE MISSED APCH. WE WERE ASSIGNED A HDG OF 310 DEGS AND MAINTAIN ALT OF 3000 FT. SINCE THE CAPT BEGAN CLBING WHEN HE ANNOUNCED THE MISSED APCH, WE WERE AS HIGH AS 3800 FT IN A MATTER OF SECONDS BEFORE HE DROPPED THE NOSE. THE AUTOPLT WAS DEFINITELY OFF AT THIS POINT BECAUSE OUR ALT VARIED BY PLUS OR MINUS 500 FT AND HDG PLUS OR MINUS 20 DEGS UNTIL THE CAPT FINALLY ESTABLISHED CTL. AUTOPLT WAS REENGAGED WITHIN APPROX 10 MINS. AFTER LNDG THE FO BEGAN TO DIAL IN THE GND FREQ AFTER WE WERE CLR OF THE RWY. I STATED THAT WE WERE TO REMAIN ON TWR FREQ. THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED MY STATEMENT AND THE FO PROCEEDED TO CONTACT GND. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO CALL THE TWR WHEN WE GOT INSIDE TO EXPLAIN THE REASON FOR THE MISSED 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.