Narrative:

On a late arrival to st louis, was cleared for a visual approach to stl. We were cleared late from 5000 ft to 3500 ft, then cleared for the visual approach. After starting our descent, controller asked us to slow to 170 KTS. We were already very high. We requested s-turns to no avail. Then requested a left 360 degree turn, which was denied. We abandoned the approach and set up for left traffic for a visual approach. Being cleared for the visual, I turned toward the airport and started a descent. The turn was too tight and I ended up at a 45 degree intercept, pointed straight toward the approach end of the runway. The tower said 'air carrier X, we have an altitude alert, I don't think this is going to work, turn to xx heading, climb to XXXX ft.' it also was apparent to me that we were unable to land and a second go around was made. On the third attempt to land, tower turned us on a 90 degree intercept. About 1/4 M outside the marker and behind a B717. Spacing was only 1 mi and the B717 was not able to clear the runway, so a third go around was executed. On the fourth attempt, approach gave vectors for a right downwind, 6 mi final and approach and landing were normal. Factors: 1) this was the 3RD leg of a 4 leg day. On both of the first 2 legs, FAA inspectors were on the jump seat, and the flight was behind schedule. It had been a very stressful day. 2) traffic into stl had been stopped for several hours. Controllers were under pressure to get traffic back on schedule. 3) I was newly back on the MD80. This was my first month flying the MD80 after 11 months on the B767. 4) bad communication between me and the captain on the second approach. I was flying xcockpit and turning left. The captain did not have the airport when I was in my turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FO MADE A TIGHT TURN TO FINAL AFTER BEING CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH CAUSING AN ATC LOW ALT ALERT WARNING.

Narrative: ON A LATE ARR TO ST LOUIS, WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO STL. WE WERE CLRED LATE FROM 5000 FT TO 3500 FT, THEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. AFTER STARTING OUR DSCNT, CTLR ASKED US TO SLOW TO 170 KTS. WE WERE ALREADY VERY HIGH. WE REQUESTED S-TURNS TO NO AVAIL. THEN REQUESTED A L 360 DEG TURN, WHICH WAS DENIED. WE ABANDONED THE APCH AND SET UP FOR L TFC FOR A VISUAL APCH. BEING CLRED FOR THE VISUAL, I TURNED TOWARD THE ARPT AND STARTED A DSCNT. THE TURN WAS TOO TIGHT AND I ENDED UP AT A 45 DEG INTERCEPT, POINTED STRAIGHT TOWARD THE APCH END OF THE RWY. THE TWR SAID 'ACR X, WE HAVE AN ALT ALERT, I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO WORK, TURN TO XX HDG, CLB TO XXXX FT.' IT ALSO WAS APPARENT TO ME THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO LAND AND A SECOND GAR WAS MADE. ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT TO LAND, TWR TURNED US ON A 90 DEG INTERCEPT. ABOUT 1/4 M OUTSIDE THE MARKER AND BEHIND A B717. SPACING WAS ONLY 1 MI AND THE B717 WAS NOT ABLE TO CLR THE RWY, SO A THIRD GAR WAS EXECUTED. ON THE FOURTH ATTEMPT, APCH GAVE VECTORS FOR A R DOWNWIND, 6 MI FINAL AND APCH AND LNDG WERE NORMAL. FACTORS: 1) THIS WAS THE 3RD LEG OF A 4 LEG DAY. ON BOTH OF THE FIRST 2 LEGS, FAA INSPECTORS WERE ON THE JUMP SEAT, AND THE FLT WAS BEHIND SCHEDULE. IT HAD BEEN A VERY STRESSFUL DAY. 2) TFC INTO STL HAD BEEN STOPPED FOR SEVERAL HRS. CTLRS WERE UNDER PRESSURE TO GET TFC BACK ON SCHEDULE. 3) I WAS NEWLY BACK ON THE MD80. THIS WAS MY FIRST MONTH FLYING THE MD80 AFTER 11 MONTHS ON THE B767. 4) BAD COM BTWN ME AND THE CAPT ON THE SECOND APCH. I WAS FLYING XCOCKPIT AND TURNING L. THE CAPT DID NOT HAVE THE ARPT WHEN I WAS IN MY TURN.

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.