Air carrier initiated a go around after experiencing problems with winds, and traffic. Captain had c...

Attributes
ACN	294705
Time
Date	199501
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 100 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : orf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	descent : approach
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 : 15800 flight time type : 10600
ASRS Report	294705
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were vectored for a visual approach to runway 23. Winds were reported as 320 degrees at 15-24 KTS. We were advised of traffic to follow. A strobe light was seen in the distance but I hesitated to notify approach control until a more positive identify could be made. As a result, approach gave us a turn away from the runway. As the traffic came closer and made a turn towards the runway we were convinced this was the traffic, called it and the runway in sight, and a visual approach clearance was given. We turned back towards the runway to get lined up and descended to get on proper glide path. The traffic now was cleared to circle and land on runway 32. The tower kept us informed of his position and gave many wind reports. Some attention was given to this traffic which distracted from a demanding approach in gusty crosswind conditions. The first officer crossed the threshold slightly high and a strong gust caused the aircraft to balloon upwards. The first officer initiated a missed approach. This was the correct and proper action. I was very busy with checklists and communication and could not do a PA to the passenger until well downwind. In the interest of brevity and to calm any apprehensions the passenger had about the go around, I simply said 'there was a traffic conflict and that we would land in several mins, and thanks for their patience.' as the passenger got off the aircraft, one asked if we would file a near miss report. I said no, since there was never a close conflict for that. Later, as I was getting into a hotel van, an agent informed me that a passenger was filing a complaint and a report. I went to talk to him and he was the same man who stopped by the cockpit. He idented himself as an NTSB safety officer. He said I lied about the gars due to traffic, said I should have said the winds were too strong and I was unable to cope with them and said our airlines encourages pilots to lie to passenger and this was unsafe. No amount of conversation could change his mind and he was filing a report. He said the go around was correct. His objection was with the PA to the passenger.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR INITIATED A GAR AFTER EXPERIENCING PROBS WITH WINDS, AND TFC. CAPT HAD CONFRONTATION WITH A PAX (NTSB SAFETY OFFICER) WHO STATED THAT CAPT'S PA REGARDING THE SIT, WAS A LIE.

Narrative: WE WERE VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 23. WINDS WERE RPTED AS 320 DEGS AT 15-24 KTS. WE WERE ADVISED OF TFC TO FOLLOW. A STROBE LIGHT WAS SEEN IN THE DISTANCE BUT I HESITATED TO NOTIFY APCH CTL UNTIL A MORE POSITIVE IDENT COULD BE MADE. AS A RESULT, APCH GAVE US A TURN AWAY FROM THE RWY. AS THE TFC CAME CLOSER AND MADE A TURN TOWARDS THE RWY WE WERE CONVINCED THIS WAS THE TFC, CALLED IT AND THE RWY IN SIGHT, AND A VISUAL APCH CLRNC WAS GIVEN. WE TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE RWY TO GET LINED UP AND DSNDED TO GET ON PROPER GLIDE PATH. THE TFC NOW WAS CLRED TO CIRCLE AND LAND ON RWY 32. THE TWR KEPT US INFORMED OF HIS POS AND GAVE MANY WIND RPTS. SOME ATTN WAS GIVEN TO THIS TFC WHICH DISTRACTED FROM A DEMANDING APCH IN GUSTY XWIND CONDITIONS. THE FO CROSSED THE THRESHOLD SLIGHTLY HIGH AND A STRONG GUST CAUSED THE ACFT TO BALLOON UPWARDS. THE FO INITIATED A MISSED APCH. THIS WAS THE CORRECT AND PROPER ACTION. I WAS VERY BUSY WITH CHKLISTS AND COM AND COULD NOT DO A PA TO THE PAX UNTIL WELL DOWNWIND. IN THE INTEREST OF BREVITY AND TO CALM ANY APPREHENSIONS THE PAX HAD ABOUT THE GAR, I SIMPLY SAID 'THERE WAS A TFC CONFLICT AND THAT WE WOULD LAND IN SEVERAL MINS, AND THANKS FOR THEIR PATIENCE.' AS THE PAX GOT OFF THE ACFT, ONE ASKED IF WE WOULD FILE A NEAR MISS RPT. I SAID NO, SINCE THERE WAS NEVER A CLOSE CONFLICT FOR THAT. LATER, AS I WAS GETTING INTO A HOTEL VAN, AN AGENT INFORMED ME THAT A PAX WAS FILING A COMPLAINT AND A RPT. I WENT TO TALK TO HIM AND HE WAS THE SAME MAN WHO STOPPED BY THE COCKPIT. HE IDENTED HIMSELF AS AN NTSB SAFETY OFFICER. HE SAID I LIED ABOUT THE GARS DUE TO TFC, SAID I SHOULD HAVE SAID THE WINDS WERE TOO STRONG AND I WAS UNABLE TO COPE WITH THEM AND SAID OUR AIRLINES ENCOURAGES PLTS TO LIE TO PAX AND THIS WAS UNSAFE. NO AMOUNT OF CONVERSATION COULD CHANGE HIS MIND AND HE WAS FILING A RPT. HE SAID THE GAR WAS CORRECT. HIS OBJECTION WAS WITH THE PA TO THE PAX.

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.

Air carrier initiated a go around after experiencing problems with winds, and traffic. Captain had confrontation with a passenger (NTSB safety officer) who stated that captain's PA regarding the situation, was a lie.