Narrative:

At approximately XD45 we were cleared for ILS approach runway 22L. First officer flying. Just outside the OM ewr tower instructed us to go around, and said we were too close to heavy aircraft in front of us. We reentered daisy chain of aircraft. (Note: TCASII was showing us right on 5 mi limit.) approach control told us to maintain 170 KTS to OM which we did. During next approach for runway 22L we were cleared at approximately 8 mi out. First officer flying on autoplt. After localizer capture aircraft was tracking somewhat erratically (on runway 22L this is sometimes normal). First officer disconnected autoplt and flew approach manually (we were under the assumption that the WX is still 600 ft overcast and 10 mi visibility). Approximately 600 ft I noticed the localizer drift to the left, not 1 DOT deviation, but increasing. I requested first officer to make a go around and we did. (We may have descended to 450 ft or so on approach.) on go around we talked about the approach and first officer said everything was centered on his instruments. I requested close in vectoring from approach control and WX from the tower was now 200 ft overcast and 1/2 mi. We briefed a monitored approach, first officer flying. We were cleared for ILS runway 22L approach. At 600 ft the autoplt disconnected (by itself). I requested first officer to go around we did. On this approach I noticed that the first officer's localizer seemed to be erratic. We talked about it and felt his was not reliable. WX now RVR better than 6000 ft. I told approach control that we are at minimum fuel and needed a close-in vector for the approach. They obliged, I flew this approach on autoplt and landed. Contributing factors to minimum fuel landing. Changing WX conditions not passed on to pilots. First officer localizer erratic. Equipment malfunction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MD80 FLC HAS TO MAKE 4 APCHS AND DECLARED A FUEL EMER BEFORE LNDG IN POOR WX.

Narrative: AT APPROX XD45 WE WERE CLRED FOR ILS APCH RWY 22L. FO FLYING. JUST OUTSIDE THE OM EWR TWR INSTRUCTED US TO GAR, AND SAID WE WERE TOO CLOSE TO HVY ACFT IN FRONT OF US. WE REENTERED DAISY CHAIN OF ACFT. (NOTE: TCASII WAS SHOWING US RIGHT ON 5 MI LIMIT.) APCH CTL TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 170 KTS TO OM WHICH WE DID. DURING NEXT APCH FOR RWY 22L WE WERE CLRED AT APPROX 8 MI OUT. FO FLYING ON AUTOPLT. AFTER LOC CAPTURE ACFT WAS TRACKING SOMEWHAT ERRATICALLY (ON RWY 22L THIS IS SOMETIMES NORMAL). FO DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND FLEW APCH MANUALLY (WE WERE UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE WX IS STILL 600 FT OVCST AND 10 MI VISIBILITY). APPROX 600 FT I NOTICED THE LOC DRIFT TO THE L, NOT 1 DOT DEV, BUT INCREASING. I REQUESTED FO TO MAKE A GAR AND WE DID. (WE MAY HAVE DSNDED TO 450 FT OR SO ON APCH.) ON GAR WE TALKED ABOUT THE APCH AND FO SAID EVERYTHING WAS CTRED ON HIS INSTS. I REQUESTED CLOSE IN VECTORING FROM APCH CTL AND WX FROM THE TWR WAS NOW 200 FT OVCST AND 1/2 MI. WE BRIEFED A MONITORED APCH, FO FLYING. WE WERE CLRED FOR ILS RWY 22L APCH. AT 600 FT THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED (BY ITSELF). I REQUESTED FO TO GAR WE DID. ON THIS APCH I NOTICED THAT THE FO'S LOC SEEMED TO BE ERRATIC. WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND FELT HIS WAS NOT RELIABLE. WX NOW RVR BETTER THAN 6000 FT. I TOLD APCH CTL THAT WE ARE AT MINIMUM FUEL AND NEEDED A CLOSE-IN VECTOR FOR THE APCH. THEY OBLIGED, I FLEW THIS APCH ON AUTOPLT AND LANDED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO MINIMUM FUEL LNDG. CHANGING WX CONDITIONS NOT PASSED ON TO PLTS. FO LOC ERRATIC. EQUIP MALFUNCTION.

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.