Narrative:

The first approach we were vectored to intercept the final approach course for localizer back course runway 14, fwa. We had a tailwind on base leg of around 35 KTS and we were blown through the course because of the wind and we were not able to get reestablished due to our close proximity to the FAF. We did not descend and made the decision to go around and try it again. We stayed at 2500 ft MSL and were handed back to approach for vectors to the same approach. Second attempt we got established but the autoplt (flight director) was not maintaining the course, so I selected heading mode to maintain the localizer. However, there was a few seconds delay for the flight director to accept heading mode so at that point I disconnected the autoplt because it was not doing what needed to be done. Again, at the same point in the approach, we decided the safest thing to do was go around. At that point, things were really busy, happening quickly, and there was a high level of stress. I lost around 200-300 ft of altitude and the airspeed went to around 220 KTS while we were reconfiguring the airplane (ie, gear up, flaps to 8 degrees) over the top of the airport, class C airspace. Another regional jet just behind us on the localizer back course runway 14 stated the localizer was not stable and they too discontinued the approach. Approach then vectored us to ILS runway 5, fwa, and we landed at fwa. Factors that contributed were the end of a long duty day, at night in IMC conditions, and the fact that we rarely do non precision approachs. The ground equipment or airplane equipment could have also aided to the entire situation. Things to help correct: the simulator training twice a yr is an excellent tool. It allows us to do these type of approachs to maintain a level of proficiency with things like non precision approachs and missed approachs. These are phases of flight that we do not do on a regular basis and they are a high workload, when they do. So the more time we get to do these in the training environment, this will allow us to handle them better when they happen while flying the line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CARJ CREW ATTEMPTED 2 LOC BACK COURSE APCHS TO FWA, EACH TERMINATING IN A MISSED APCH.

Narrative: THE FIRST APCH WE WERE VECTORED TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR LOC BACK COURSE RWY 14, FWA. WE HAD A TAILWIND ON BASE LEG OF AROUND 35 KTS AND WE WERE BLOWN THROUGH THE COURSE BECAUSE OF THE WIND AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET REESTABLISHED DUE TO OUR CLOSE PROX TO THE FAF. WE DID NOT DSND AND MADE THE DECISION TO GO AROUND AND TRY IT AGAIN. WE STAYED AT 2500 FT MSL AND WERE HANDED BACK TO APCH FOR VECTORS TO THE SAME APCH. SECOND ATTEMPT WE GOT ESTABLISHED BUT THE AUTOPLT (FLT DIRECTOR) WAS NOT MAINTAINING THE COURSE, SO I SELECTED HEADING MODE TO MAINTAIN THE LOC. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A FEW SECONDS DELAY FOR THE FLT DIRECTOR TO ACCEPT HEADING MODE SO AT THAT POINT I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT DOING WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. AGAIN, AT THE SAME POINT IN THE APCH, WE DECIDED THE SAFEST THING TO DO WAS GO AROUND. AT THAT POINT, THINGS WERE REALLY BUSY, HAPPENING QUICKLY, AND THERE WAS A HIGH LEVEL OF STRESS. I LOST AROUND 200-300 FT OF ALT AND THE AIRSPD WENT TO AROUND 220 KTS WHILE WE WERE RECONFIGURING THE AIRPLANE (IE, GEAR UP, FLAPS TO 8 DEGS) OVER THE TOP OF THE ARPT, CLASS C AIRSPACE. ANOTHER REGIONAL JET JUST BEHIND US ON THE LOC BACK COURSE RWY 14 STATED THE LOC WAS NOT STABLE AND THEY TOO DISCONTINUED THE APCH. APCH THEN VECTORED US TO ILS RWY 5, FWA, AND WE LANDED AT FWA. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED WERE THE END OF A LONG DUTY DAY, AT NIGHT IN IMC CONDITIONS, AND THE FACT THAT WE RARELY DO NON PRECISION APCHS. THE GND EQUIP OR AIRPLANE EQUIP COULD HAVE ALSO AIDED TO THE ENTIRE SIT. THINGS TO HELP CORRECT: THE SIMULATOR TRAINING TWICE A YR IS AN EXCELLENT TOOL. IT ALLOWS US TO DO THESE TYPE OF APCHS TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY WITH THINGS LIKE NON PRECISION APCHS AND MISSED APCHS. THESE ARE PHASES OF FLT THAT WE DO NOT DO ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THEY ARE A HIGH WORKLOAD, WHEN THEY DO. SO THE MORE TIME WE GET TO DO THESE IN THE TRAINING ENVIRONMENT, THIS WILL ALLOW US TO HANDLE THEM BETTER WHEN THEY HAPPEN WHILE FLYING THE LINE.

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.