Narrative:

20 mins west of oma, I (the PNF) received oma ATIS information. The broadcast NOTAMS reported that the runway 18 GS, VASI, and RVR were all OTS. Based on these conditions, the captain and I determined that runway 14R would be our best choice for landing. Although each of us had been to the oma airport several times in the last 2 weeks, we felt that it was in the best interest of safety to land on a runway that had vertical guidance. During our descent and approach checklist, we briefed for a visual approach that would be backed up by the ILS to runway 14R. 20-25 mi from the airport, I advised oma approach control that we had 'the field in sight.' at that point we were cleared for a visual approach to either runway 14R or runway 18 (pilot's choice). We had briefed runway 14R and continued with our plan to approach and land runway 14R. We accepted the visual approach clearance about 20-25 mi west of oma airport heading approximately 040 degrees at 6000 ft or 7000 ft MSL descending. We were beginning our approach on a right base leg. From this position, I had 1 set of runway lights in sight. As we got closer to the final approach course (about 8-10 mi out), a second set of runway lights became visible to me and I became disoriented. I thought that the far set of lights was runway 14R (the far set of lights was actually runway 18). To query the captain as to which runway we were 'lining up on' I asked 'you're lining up on the far runway, right?' the captain told me that he was going to line up on the near set of runway lights. As he told me this, the aircraft started going through the final approach course for runway 14R (autoplt system 'a' was on at the time with the MCP in heading mode with VOR/localizer also selected). The captain turned the autoplt off at that time and entered a right bank to line up on runway 14R and to correct slightly right. At this point, I realized that we were indeed lined up correctly on runway 14R. When we had lined up on runway 14R it started to appear to me that we were high on the glide path. The GS from the ILS concurred. At this point, the aircraft was approximately 2-3 mi from the runway at 1000 ft AGL. I no longer felt a safe landing could be made. I relayed my concern to the captain and we initiated a go around maneuver. Oma tower instructed us to enter l-hand traffic and begin another visual approach to either runway 14R or runway 18. We elected this time to use runway 18. Our visual approach to runway 18 again appeared slightly high. At about 600 ft AGL on the runway 18 final approach course, the GPWS warned 'sink rate, sink rate.' the captain stated that he was correcting. At the same time I looked at the vsi and noted a rate of descent of 1200-1300 FPM. We continued our approach and landed within the touchdown zone.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B733 FLC EXECUTE GAR WITH LOSS OF FIELD ORIENTATION WHEN CONDUCTING A VISUAL APCH TO OMA.

Narrative: 20 MINS W OF OMA, I (THE PNF) RECEIVED OMA ATIS INFO. THE BROADCAST NOTAMS RPTED THAT THE RWY 18 GS, VASI, AND RVR WERE ALL OTS. BASED ON THESE CONDITIONS, THE CAPT AND I DETERMINED THAT RWY 14R WOULD BE OUR BEST CHOICE FOR LNDG. ALTHOUGH EACH OF US HAD BEEN TO THE OMA ARPT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST 2 WKS, WE FELT THAT IT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF SAFETY TO LAND ON A RWY THAT HAD VERT GUIDANCE. DURING OUR DSCNT AND APCH CHKLIST, WE BRIEFED FOR A VISUAL APCH THAT WOULD BE BACKED UP BY THE ILS TO RWY 14R. 20-25 MI FROM THE ARPT, I ADVISED OMA APCH CTL THAT WE HAD 'THE FIELD IN SIGHT.' AT THAT POINT WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO EITHER RWY 14R OR RWY 18 (PLT'S CHOICE). WE HAD BRIEFED RWY 14R AND CONTINUED WITH OUR PLAN TO APCH AND LAND RWY 14R. WE ACCEPTED THE VISUAL APCH CLRNC ABOUT 20-25 MI W OF OMA ARPT HDG APPROX 040 DEGS AT 6000 FT OR 7000 FT MSL DSNDING. WE WERE BEGINNING OUR APCH ON A R BASE LEG. FROM THIS POS, I HAD 1 SET OF RWY LIGHTS IN SIGHT. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE (ABOUT 8-10 MI OUT), A SECOND SET OF RWY LIGHTS BECAME VISIBLE TO ME AND I BECAME DISORIENTED. I THOUGHT THAT THE FAR SET OF LIGHTS WAS RWY 14R (THE FAR SET OF LIGHTS WAS ACTUALLY RWY 18). TO QUERY THE CAPT AS TO WHICH RWY WE WERE 'LINING UP ON' I ASKED 'YOU'RE LINING UP ON THE FAR RWY, RIGHT?' THE CAPT TOLD ME THAT HE WAS GOING TO LINE UP ON THE NEAR SET OF RWY LIGHTS. AS HE TOLD ME THIS, THE ACFT STARTED GOING THROUGH THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR RWY 14R (AUTOPLT SYS 'A' WAS ON AT THE TIME WITH THE MCP IN HDG MODE WITH VOR/LOC ALSO SELECTED). THE CAPT TURNED THE AUTOPLT OFF AT THAT TIME AND ENTERED A R BANK TO LINE UP ON RWY 14R AND TO CORRECT SLIGHTLY R. AT THIS POINT, I REALIZED THAT WE WERE INDEED LINED UP CORRECTLY ON RWY 14R. WHEN WE HAD LINED UP ON RWY 14R IT STARTED TO APPEAR TO ME THAT WE WERE HIGH ON THE GLIDE PATH. THE GS FROM THE ILS CONCURRED. AT THIS POINT, THE ACFT WAS APPROX 2-3 MI FROM THE RWY AT 1000 FT AGL. I NO LONGER FELT A SAFE LNDG COULD BE MADE. I RELAYED MY CONCERN TO THE CAPT AND WE INITIATED A GAR MANEUVER. OMA TWR INSTRUCTED US TO ENTER L-HAND TFC AND BEGIN ANOTHER VISUAL APCH TO EITHER RWY 14R OR RWY 18. WE ELECTED THIS TIME TO USE RWY 18. OUR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18 AGAIN APPEARED SLIGHTLY HIGH. AT ABOUT 600 FT AGL ON THE RWY 18 FINAL APCH COURSE, THE GPWS WARNED 'SINK RATE, SINK RATE.' THE CAPT STATED THAT HE WAS CORRECTING. AT THE SAME TIME I LOOKED AT THE VSI AND NOTED A RATE OF DSCNT OF 1200-1300 FPM. WE CONTINUED OUR APCH AND LANDED WITHIN THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE.

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.