Destabilized approach into bwi during the dawn hours.

Attributes
ACN	305913
Time
Date	199505
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bwi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	305913
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : undershoot non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared for an ILS to runway 10 bwi. WX reported 400 ft, 1 1/2 mi, but closer to 500 ft AGL ceiling. This was essentially a straight-in approach from approximately 45 mi. First officer was flying the approach. It was my first leg with this first officer as the PF. He was high at the OM by approximately 350 ft. He was having trouble getting stabilized but felt he could get the approach stabilized by the approach gate (company, 500 ft AGL). We were continuously across the localizer, up and down on the GS. At the 500 ft gate we were approximately 1/2 DOT low on GS and 1 1/2 dots right on localizer. As I was to begin the command for go around, we broke out, made a left correction and landed normally. While this approach was not completely unsafe, it was outside company and my personal standards. In retrospect, I should have taken the aircraft and commenced the go around. Fatigue and not wanting to go around were the primary causes of this deviation. It is my experience over the last 35 yrs that flts departing before sunrise and arriving after sunrise, regardless of rest, are the most unsafe flts, especially when IFR approachs are involved. I have since made a mental note to make the 500 ft gate as big a part of my approachs as are the IFR minimums.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DESTABILIZED APCH INTO BWI DURING THE DAWN HRS.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR AN ILS TO RWY 10 BWI. WX RPTED 400 FT, 1 1/2 MI, BUT CLOSER TO 500 FT AGL CEILING. THIS WAS ESSENTIALLY A STRAIGHT-IN APCH FROM APPROX 45 MI. FO WAS FLYING THE APCH. IT WAS MY FIRST LEG WITH THIS FO AS THE PF. HE WAS HIGH AT THE OM BY APPROX 350 FT. HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE GETTING STABILIZED BUT FELT HE COULD GET THE APCH STABILIZED BY THE APCH GATE (COMPANY, 500 FT AGL). WE WERE CONTINUOUSLY ACROSS THE LOC, UP AND DOWN ON THE GS. AT THE 500 FT GATE WE WERE APPROX 1/2 DOT LOW ON GS AND 1 1/2 DOTS R ON LOC. AS I WAS TO BEGIN THE COMMAND FOR GAR, WE BROKE OUT, MADE A L CORRECTION AND LANDED NORMALLY. WHILE THIS APCH WAS NOT COMPLETELY UNSAFE, IT WAS OUTSIDE COMPANY AND MY PERSONAL STANDARDS. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE ACFT AND COMMENCED THE GAR. FATIGUE AND NOT WANTING TO GAR WERE THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF THIS DEV. IT IS MY EXPERIENCE OVER THE LAST 35 YRS THAT FLTS DEPARTING BEFORE SUNRISE AND ARRIVING AFTER SUNRISE, REGARDLESS OF REST, ARE THE MOST UNSAFE FLTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IFR APCHS ARE INVOLVED. I HAVE SINCE MADE A MENTAL NOTE TO MAKE THE 500 FT GATE AS BIG A PART OF MY APCHS AS ARE THE IFR 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.