B737 flight crew has unstabilized approach into hou.

Attributes
ACN	579896
Time
Date	200304
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	579896
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

First day of a 3-DAY trip, 4TH leg and first pairing first officer and I have flown together. First officer leg, flying to hou. On approach into hou, we were kept high and vectored close in to the field. WX was below ATIS report. ATIS was calling 9 mi visibility and 2900 ft broken. Actual WX was 6 mi and 1900 ft overcast. We were vectored to a 6 mi base at 4000 ft and descending to 2000 ft. First officer had speed brakes out. Controller said he would vector us through localizer for descent. This did not happen. He gave us a turn toward the field. We both knew we were high. First officer started to configure. We broke out with field now in sight. I was thinking we were high, but I've seen it before, I know we can land. We continued, got fully configured at 1000 ft, but we were not in the zone at 500 ft. We landed approximately 1/3 down runway. Normal to medium braking, made last turn off. Contributing factors: tight vector by controller, marginal WX, seen it before, first time flying together. Outside factors: just received word my father had been taken to hospital. Commuted into trip night prior. We were late, trying to make up time. Given all these factors, it was up to me as the captain to make the call to go around, I assume complete responsibility for this approach. I can promise that this will not happen again when I am in the cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW HAS UNSTABILIZED APCH INTO HOU.

Narrative: FIRST DAY OF A 3-DAY TRIP, 4TH LEG AND FIRST PAIRING FO AND I HAVE FLOWN TOGETHER. FO LEG, FLYING TO HOU. ON APCH INTO HOU, WE WERE KEPT HIGH AND VECTORED CLOSE IN TO THE FIELD. WX WAS BELOW ATIS RPT. ATIS WAS CALLING 9 MI VISIBILITY AND 2900 FT BROKEN. ACTUAL WX WAS 6 MI AND 1900 FT OVCST. WE WERE VECTORED TO A 6 MI BASE AT 4000 FT AND DSNDING TO 2000 FT. FO HAD SPD BRAKES OUT. CTLR SAID HE WOULD VECTOR US THROUGH LOC FOR DSCNT. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. HE GAVE US A TURN TOWARD THE FIELD. WE BOTH KNEW WE WERE HIGH. FO STARTED TO CONFIGURE. WE BROKE OUT WITH FIELD NOW IN SIGHT. I WAS THINKING WE WERE HIGH, BUT I'VE SEEN IT BEFORE, I KNOW WE CAN LAND. WE CONTINUED, GOT FULLY CONFIGURED AT 1000 FT, BUT WE WERE NOT IN THE ZONE AT 500 FT. WE LANDED APPROX 1/3 DOWN RWY. NORMAL TO MEDIUM BRAKING, MADE LAST TURN OFF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: TIGHT VECTOR BY CTLR, MARGINAL WX, SEEN IT BEFORE, FIRST TIME FLYING TOGETHER. OUTSIDE FACTORS: JUST RECEIVED WORD MY FATHER HAD BEEN TAKEN TO HOSPITAL. COMMUTED INTO TRIP NIGHT PRIOR. WE WERE LATE, TRYING TO MAKE UP TIME. GIVEN ALL THESE FACTORS, IT WAS UP TO ME AS THE CAPT TO MAKE THE CALL TO GAR, I ASSUME COMPLETE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS APCH. I CAN PROMISE THAT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN WHEN I AM IN THE COCKPIT.

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.