A late descent caused the crew of a B757-200 to make an unstabilized approach and land.

Attributes
ACN	699527
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sjc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	699527
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

At 5 mi final we were high. Captain struggled to get down and slow down. Below 500 ft AGL; at separate times; both airspeed and rate of descent parameters for stabilized approach were exceeded and corrected. 1200 FPM rate of descent was reached; and corrected. 20 KTS above target speed reached and corrected. In my opinion; they were momentary deviations. As PNF; I made no verbal callouts of the deviations. At the time; I thought it would add distraction. It was clear the PF recognized the deviations and was working very hard to correct them. I realize I was caught by surprise as the situation seemed to develop late in the approach. Early and prompt callouts of developing problems by me would have aided the captain. Our judgement of what is a 'momentary' deviation at such a busy time; while our attention is divided and constantly shifting is very difficult. These situations; like missed approachs; rejects; and engine problems happen rarely; so we are surprised by them. I suggest 'spot' training in the simulator during training involving unstabilized approachs; so we can plan and train the proper responses in these situations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LATE DSCNT CAUSED THE CREW OF A B757-200 TO MAKE AN UNSTABILIZED APCH AND LAND.

Narrative: AT 5 MI FINAL WE WERE HIGH. CAPT STRUGGLED TO GET DOWN AND SLOW DOWN. BELOW 500 FT AGL; AT SEPARATE TIMES; BOTH AIRSPD AND RATE OF DSCNT PARAMETERS FOR STABILIZED APCH WERE EXCEEDED AND CORRECTED. 1200 FPM RATE OF DSCNT WAS REACHED; AND CORRECTED. 20 KTS ABOVE TARGET SPD REACHED AND CORRECTED. IN MY OPINION; THEY WERE MOMENTARY DEVS. AS PNF; I MADE NO VERBAL CALLOUTS OF THE DEVS. AT THE TIME; I THOUGHT IT WOULD ADD DISTR. IT WAS CLR THE PF RECOGNIZED THE DEVS AND WAS WORKING VERY HARD TO CORRECT THEM. I REALIZE I WAS CAUGHT BY SURPRISE AS THE SITUATION SEEMED TO DEVELOP LATE IN THE APCH. EARLY AND PROMPT CALLOUTS OF DEVELOPING PROBS BY ME WOULD HAVE AIDED THE CAPT. OUR JUDGEMENT OF WHAT IS A 'MOMENTARY' DEV AT SUCH A BUSY TIME; WHILE OUR ATTN IS DIVIDED AND CONSTANTLY SHIFTING IS VERY DIFFICULT. THESE SITUATIONS; LIKE MISSED APCHS; REJECTS; AND ENG PROBS HAPPEN RARELY; SO WE ARE SURPRISED BY THEM. I SUGGEST 'SPOT' TRAINING IN THE SIMULATOR DURING TRAINING INVOLVING UNSTABILIZED APCHS; SO WE CAN PLAN AND TRAIN THE PROPER RESPONSES IN THESE SITUATIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.