MD11 crew continued an unstabilized approach in IMC at atl. ATCT local controller issued a go around...

Attributes
ACN	546310
Time
Date	200205
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 8l other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 8l
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	546310
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed missed approach other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Radar vectors to intercept atl localizer ILS runway 8L. Due to other arrival aircraft, atl approach control cleared us to maintain 4000 ft, 170 KTS until established for ILS runway 8L. Resulted in intercepting ILS above GS 2 mi from OM. Late recognizing this. Crossed catta OM approximately 800 ft high. Attempted to descend to GS at 1500-2000 FPM on GS at approximately 1000 ft, then lost GS signal. Note: both preceding and following aircraft reported erratic GS signals for runway 8L. Continued stable descent to runway 8L, but with intermittent localizer/GS signal, crossed runway 15 approximately 300 ft (WX 300 ft overcast 1 1/2 mi visibility) planning a missed approach when tower issued a go around. 2 factors; high in close vectors by ATC due to sequencing traffic caused aircraft to join localizer above GS and not recognized immediately by crew. Once recognized, crew increased descent at OM to re-establish GS, but malfunctioning ILS gave confusing cockpit signals that never allowed aircraft to re-establish proper position. Resulted in well above at minimums and go around. Recommend: crew should have executed missed approach sooner in IMC when high at OM and first sign of erratic ILS signal. ATC: better vectors. Tower: report intermittent ILS per PIREP.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 CREW CONTINUED AN UNSTABILIZED APCH IN IMC AT ATL. ATCT LCL CTLR ISSUED A GAR.

Narrative: RADAR VECTORS TO INTERCEPT ATL LOC ILS RWY 8L. DUE TO OTHER ARR ACFT, ATL APCH CTL CLRED US TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT, 170 KTS UNTIL ESTABLISHED FOR ILS RWY 8L. RESULTED IN INTERCEPTING ILS ABOVE GS 2 MI FROM OM. LATE RECOGNIZING THIS. CROSSED CATTA OM APPROX 800 FT HIGH. ATTEMPTED TO DSND TO GS AT 1500-2000 FPM ON GS AT APPROX 1000 FT, THEN LOST GS SIGNAL. NOTE: BOTH PRECEDING AND FOLLOWING ACFT RPTED ERRATIC GS SIGNALS FOR RWY 8L. CONTINUED STABLE DSCNT TO RWY 8L, BUT WITH INTERMITTENT LOC/GS SIGNAL, CROSSED RWY 15 APPROX 300 FT (WX 300 FT OVCST 1 1/2 MI VISIBILITY) PLANNING A MISSED APCH WHEN TWR ISSUED A GAR. 2 FACTORS; HIGH IN CLOSE VECTORS BY ATC DUE TO SEQUENCING TFC CAUSED ACFT TO JOIN LOC ABOVE GS AND NOT RECOGNIZED IMMEDIATELY BY CREW. ONCE RECOGNIZED, CREW INCREASED DSCNT AT OM TO RE-ESTABLISH GS, BUT MALFUNCTIONING ILS GAVE CONFUSING COCKPIT SIGNALS THAT NEVER ALLOWED ACFT TO RE-ESTABLISH PROPER POS. RESULTED IN WELL ABOVE AT MINIMUMS AND GAR. RECOMMEND: CREW SHOULD HAVE EXECUTED MISSED APCH SOONER IN IMC WHEN HIGH AT OM AND FIRST SIGN OF ERRATIC ILS SIGNAL. ATC: BETTER VECTORS. TWR: RPT INTERMITTENT ILS PER PIREP.

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.