Narrative:

Radar vectored for the visual approach to runway 8L at atl airport. We were at an angle and a high altitude, close in to the runway (approximately 5000 ft, 5 mi). The first officer asked me if I had the airport in sight. I responded that I did, and he immediately relayed this to ATC. ATC then cleared us for the visual approach to runway 8L. Due to our position/altitude, I did not anticipate a visual approach at this time. There was a question as to if this was hartsfield airport, or one of the satellite airports. While I was sorting this out with my first officer and our GPS readings, I maintained present heading, and eventually wandered into the approach lane for runway 8R. A slight descent occurred during this time, going to lower than 4800 ft. When our position/situation was determined, I began a left turn back to runway 8L. It was at this point that ATC questioned our intentions, and if we in fact had the airport/runway in sight. I then replied to ATC that there was no way we could safely execute the visual approach to runway 8L, and would require a 360 degree turn or radar vectors. We were then vectored to a more appropriate location for the ILS to runway 8L with no further conflict. What I believe started the chain reaction of incidents was my copilot's exuberance to quickly/efficiently position our aircraft for landing. This expeditious manner does prevail with some of the other capts he flies with. It was also odd that ATC would expect an aircraft to slam-dunk a visual approach requiring a maximum performance descent (fully configured, power-off dive) to the runway. And also, my inaction by not fully briefing the first officer as to how I wanted to execute the approach. I should have overridden the first officer's call to ATC of the airport/runway in sight, and not accept the visual approach. The first officer and I discussed the event upon landing, and this will not happen again while we are operating as a crew. In the future, I will be more explicit with my first officer(south) as to when I determine to report the airport/runway in sight with ATC, and as to who, in fact, is actually flying the airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A LEARJET DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED INTERMEDIATE DSCNT ALT DURING VECTOR FOR A VISUAL APCH TO A L PARALLEL RWY. AFTER ATC CLRED HIM FOR THE VISUAL APCH, HE OVERSHOT FINAL AND WONDERED INTO THE FINAL OF THE R PARALLEL RWY.

Narrative: RADAR VECTORED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 8L AT ATL ARPT. WE WERE AT AN ANGLE AND A HIGH ALT, CLOSE IN TO THE RWY (APPROX 5000 FT, 5 MI). THE FO ASKED ME IF I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I RESPONDED THAT I DID, AND HE IMMEDIATELY RELAYED THIS TO ATC. ATC THEN CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 8L. DUE TO OUR POS/ALT, I DID NOT ANTICIPATE A VISUAL APCH AT THIS TIME. THERE WAS A QUESTION AS TO IF THIS WAS HARTSFIELD ARPT, OR ONE OF THE SATELLITE ARPTS. WHILE I WAS SORTING THIS OUT WITH MY FO AND OUR GPS READINGS, I MAINTAINED PRESENT HDG, AND EVENTUALLY WANDERED INTO THE APCH LANE FOR RWY 8R. A SLIGHT DSCNT OCCURRED DURING THIS TIME, GOING TO LOWER THAN 4800 FT. WHEN OUR POS/SIT WAS DETERMINED, I BEGAN A L TURN BACK TO RWY 8L. IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT ATC QUESTIONED OUR INTENTIONS, AND IF WE IN FACT HAD THE ARPT/RWY IN SIGHT. I THEN REPLIED TO ATC THAT THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD SAFELY EXECUTE THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 8L, AND WOULD REQUIRE A 360 DEG TURN OR RADAR VECTORS. WE WERE THEN VECTORED TO A MORE APPROPRIATE LOCATION FOR THE ILS TO RWY 8L WITH NO FURTHER CONFLICT. WHAT I BELIEVE STARTED THE CHAIN REACTION OF INCIDENTS WAS MY COPLT'S EXUBERANCE TO QUICKLY/EFFICIENTLY POS OUR ACFT FOR LNDG. THIS EXPEDITIOUS MANNER DOES PREVAIL WITH SOME OF THE OTHER CAPTS HE FLIES WITH. IT WAS ALSO ODD THAT ATC WOULD EXPECT AN ACFT TO SLAM-DUNK A VISUAL APCH REQUIRING A MAX PERFORMANCE DSCNT (FULLY CONFIGURED, PWR-OFF DIVE) TO THE RWY. AND ALSO, MY INACTION BY NOT FULLY BRIEFING THE FO AS TO HOW I WANTED TO EXECUTE THE APCH. I SHOULD HAVE OVERRIDDEN THE FO'S CALL TO ATC OF THE ARPT/RWY IN SIGHT, AND NOT ACCEPT THE VISUAL APCH. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE EVENT UPON LNDG, AND THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN WHILE WE ARE OPERATING AS A CREW. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BE MORE EXPLICIT WITH MY FO(S) AS TO WHEN I DETERMINE TO RPT THE ARPT/RWY IN SIGHT WITH ATC, AND AS TO WHO, IN FACT, IS ACTUALLY FLYING THE AIRPLANE.

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.