B767-300 flight crew attempts to fly an approach for which their aircraft was not equipped.

Attributes
ACN	617452
Time
Date	200405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf.airport
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl single value : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sdf.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 48 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	617452
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : executed missed approach
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATIS was received 30 mins out. Between then and our approach, the ATIS changed from landing south to landing north. Very busy on approach with multiple inbounds. I knew we were not GPS equipped, but with this WX, if we could get below the 4500 ft level, we could see the airport. We had been in VMC conditions for the last hour, and could see the ground and lights the entire time. I talked with my first officer and relief pilot about using our FMC LNAV (GPS updated) to get us lined up on final and if we could not see the ground, we would go around. The first officer made a statement on downwind that should have set off an alarm, 'can we do this?' since we were in VMC conditions, I told him it would be ok. We would not descend unless we saw the runway. He and the relief pilot said ok. That should have been my clue. We were cleared to 3000 ft still VMC, lined up on final, cleared for the GPS runway 35R approach. I descended to 2400 ft (initial approach altitude) and we went IMC. We were 1.3 mi outside of the final approach fix, level. I asked the first officer and relief pilot if they felt it would work. They agreed it would not and we began the go around. Got in line for ILS runway 35L (where we should have been in the first place). I think my thought process was, I could see the ground, the FMC was GPS updated, so I felt like I was where I should be. I was familiar with the area and it would work. In addition, the last ATIS just prior to the approach had a broken layer at 1100 ft. Again my brain thought since I could see the ground in every direction around the airport (except over the airport) that we would be able to make ground contact (runway in sight) outside the FAF and land. I should have listened to my first officer. He gave me the clue, I didn't listen. I was over-confident in my aircraft abilities and believed the WX was not that bad. It was, but only over the airport. I should not have accepted the approach. After we missed, the controller asked if anyone else on this side of the airport could not accept the GPS approach. 3 other flts said they could not. I wonder what they were thinking about?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-300 FLT CREW ATTEMPTS TO FLY AN APCH FOR WHICH THEIR ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED.

Narrative: ATIS WAS RECEIVED 30 MINS OUT. BTWN THEN AND OUR APCH, THE ATIS CHANGED FROM LNDG S TO LNDG N. VERY BUSY ON APCH WITH MULTIPLE INBOUNDS. I KNEW WE WERE NOT GPS EQUIPPED, BUT WITH THIS WX, IF WE COULD GET BELOW THE 4500 FT LEVEL, WE COULD SEE THE ARPT. WE HAD BEEN IN VMC CONDITIONS FOR THE LAST HR, AND COULD SEE THE GND AND LIGHTS THE ENTIRE TIME. I TALKED WITH MY FO AND RELIEF PLT ABOUT USING OUR FMC LNAV (GPS UPDATED) TO GET US LINED UP ON FINAL AND IF WE COULD NOT SEE THE GND, WE WOULD GO AROUND. THE FO MADE A STATEMENT ON DOWNWIND THAT SHOULD HAVE SET OFF AN ALARM, 'CAN WE DO THIS?' SINCE WE WERE IN VMC CONDITIONS, I TOLD HIM IT WOULD BE OK. WE WOULD NOT DSND UNLESS WE SAW THE RWY. HE AND THE RELIEF PLT SAID OK. THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MY CLUE. WE WERE CLRED TO 3000 FT STILL VMC, LINED UP ON FINAL, CLRED FOR THE GPS RWY 35R APCH. I DSNDED TO 2400 FT (INITIAL APCH ALT) AND WE WENT IMC. WE WERE 1.3 MI OUTSIDE OF THE FINAL APCH FIX, LEVEL. I ASKED THE FO AND RELIEF PLT IF THEY FELT IT WOULD WORK. THEY AGREED IT WOULD NOT AND WE BEGAN THE GAR. GOT IN LINE FOR ILS RWY 35L (WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE FIRST PLACE). I THINK MY THOUGHT PROCESS WAS, I COULD SEE THE GND, THE FMC WAS GPS UPDATED, SO I FELT LIKE I WAS WHERE I SHOULD BE. I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND IT WOULD WORK. IN ADDITION, THE LAST ATIS JUST PRIOR TO THE APCH HAD A BROKEN LAYER AT 1100 FT. AGAIN MY BRAIN THOUGHT SINCE I COULD SEE THE GND IN EVERY DIRECTION AROUND THE ARPT (EXCEPT OVER THE ARPT) THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE GND CONTACT (RWY IN SIGHT) OUTSIDE THE FAF AND LAND. I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO MY FO. HE GAVE ME THE CLUE, I DIDN'T LISTEN. I WAS OVER-CONFIDENT IN MY ACFT ABILITIES AND BELIEVED THE WX WAS NOT THAT BAD. IT WAS, BUT ONLY OVER THE ARPT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THE APCH. AFTER WE MISSED, THE CTLR ASKED IF ANYONE ELSE ON THIS SIDE OF THE ARPT COULD NOT ACCEPT THE GPS APCH. 3 OTHER FLTS SAID THEY COULD NOT. I WONDER WHAT THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT?

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.