Narrative:

On arrival ord, ATIS information reported ILS approachs to runway 27L&right. We were being vectored for runway 27R. WX reported at ceiling 600- 800 ft and RVR for runway 27R 6000 ft. We set up and briefed to fly ILS runway 27R approach. On downwind, advised by approach control that approach would be ILS runway 27R GS OTS. Briefed GS out altitudes and minimums. Approach control was very busy. We turned base at 210 KIAS and given heading to intercept localizer and cleared for approach. Upon being cleared for approach, questioned speed approach control wanted to FAF, as last speed given was 210 KIAS. As approach control was very busy, could not verify speed. Began slowing and descending, monitoring tower as instructed and watching traffic ahead on aircraft map display. Spacing looked good. Cockpit was very busy. Approaching MDA, broke out of clouds and saw buildings and expressways as we continued inbound. Did not see runway and appeared we may be low, initiated missed approach. Vectored back around and flew another approach to landing. From the brief for the first non precision approach and throughout the approach we were busy. ATC was busy. Delay vectors or vectors around for another approach would have allowed more time to set up and brief the approach, decreasing the workload. The second approach was normal for a non precision approach. Forewarned of visual sights, reaching minimums, is a great enhancement to a successful approach. Supplemental information from acn 418761: thinking what the picture might be when breaking out of the clouds on a non precision approach since you are lower further from the airport than a normal approach would be helpful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT ON APCH TO ORD HAD TO USE THE IAP LOC DME APCH TO RWY 27R SINCE THE GS WAS OTS. CREW DID NOT SEE THE RWY FROM THEIR MDA AND PERFORMED A MISSED APCH FOR A SECOND ATTEMPT.

Narrative: ON ARR ORD, ATIS INFO RPTED ILS APCHS TO RWY 27L&R. WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR RWY 27R. WX RPTED AT CEILING 600- 800 FT AND RVR FOR RWY 27R 6000 FT. WE SET UP AND BRIEFED TO FLY ILS RWY 27R APCH. ON DOWNWIND, ADVISED BY APCH CTL THAT APCH WOULD BE ILS RWY 27R GS OTS. BRIEFED GS OUT ALTS AND MINIMUMS. APCH CTL WAS VERY BUSY. WE TURNED BASE AT 210 KIAS AND GIVEN HDG TO INTERCEPT LOC AND CLRED FOR APCH. UPON BEING CLRED FOR APCH, QUESTIONED SPD APCH CTL WANTED TO FAF, AS LAST SPD GIVEN WAS 210 KIAS. AS APCH CTL WAS VERY BUSY, COULD NOT VERIFY SPD. BEGAN SLOWING AND DSNDING, MONITORING TWR AS INSTRUCTED AND WATCHING TFC AHEAD ON ACFT MAP DISPLAY. SPACING LOOKED GOOD. COCKPIT WAS VERY BUSY. APCHING MDA, BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS AND SAW BUILDINGS AND EXPRESSWAYS AS WE CONTINUED INBOUND. DID NOT SEE RWY AND APPEARED WE MAY BE LOW, INITIATED MISSED APCH. VECTORED BACK AROUND AND FLEW ANOTHER APCH TO LNDG. FROM THE BRIEF FOR THE FIRST NON PRECISION APCH AND THROUGHOUT THE APCH WE WERE BUSY. ATC WAS BUSY. DELAY VECTORS OR VECTORS AROUND FOR ANOTHER APCH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED MORE TIME TO SET UP AND BRIEF THE APCH, DECREASING THE WORKLOAD. THE SECOND APCH WAS NORMAL FOR A NON PRECISION APCH. FOREWARNED OF VISUAL SIGHTS, REACHING MINIMUMS, IS A GREAT ENHANCEMENT TO A SUCCESSFUL APCH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 418761: THINKING WHAT THE PICTURE MIGHT BE WHEN BREAKING OUT OF THE CLOUDS ON A NON PRECISION APCH SINCE YOU ARE LOWER FURTHER FROM THE ARPT THAN A NORMAL APCH WOULD BE HELPFUL.

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.