Narrative:

I was flying as captain to lga where visual approachs to runway 22 were being conducted. Aircraft were being vectored to the east as runway 31 was being used for departures. On a northeasterly heading just past the airport; I slowed to 210 KTS. The controller gave us a descent to 3000 ft. As we reached 3000 ft; the controller gave us 2000 ft and heading 320 degrees. Controller also pointed out traffic which we reported in sight; and we were then cleared for the visual approach to runway 22. We were approximately abeam the FAF (greko) in the descent to 2000 ft. I turned directly to greko and was trying to slow down as we descended. As a result; I crossed greko about 600 ft high; and it appeared for a moment that we would need to go around. I asked the first officer to ask the tower if we could do an s-turn on final to lose altitude; but frequency congestion due to departing traffic on runway 31 prevented receiving permission. I did an s-turn to the left and back. Lining up on the runway again; it now appeared that we could safely complete the approach and landing. We were configured and stabilized by 500 ft; as our procedures require on a visual approach. We landed without further comment or incident. I should have been more aware of our altitude and speed when cleared for the approach. In the future; I will lower the gear earlier to help reduce speed. A contributing factor was that it was a sunny day with medium traffic so lga was not issuing assigned airspds as they usually do. On a busy day if you slow on your own; approach usually gets upset. This report is for the s-turn to lose altitude on final. The tower did not comment; but it was an unexpected maneuver for a visual approach to runway 22.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW INITIATED S-TURN ON FINAL APCH TO LOSE ALT WITHOUT TWR APPROVAL.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AS CAPT TO LGA WHERE VISUAL APCHS TO RWY 22 WERE BEING CONDUCTED. ACFT WERE BEING VECTORED TO THE E AS RWY 31 WAS BEING USED FOR DEPS. ON A NORTHEASTERLY HDG JUST PAST THE ARPT; I SLOWED TO 210 KTS. THE CTLR GAVE US A DSCNT TO 3000 FT. AS WE REACHED 3000 FT; THE CTLR GAVE US 2000 FT AND HDG 320 DEGS. CTLR ALSO POINTED OUT TFC WHICH WE RPTED IN SIGHT; AND WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 22. WE WERE APPROX ABEAM THE FAF (GREKO) IN THE DSCNT TO 2000 FT. I TURNED DIRECTLY TO GREKO AND WAS TRYING TO SLOW DOWN AS WE DSNDED. AS A RESULT; I CROSSED GREKO ABOUT 600 FT HIGH; AND IT APPEARED FOR A MOMENT THAT WE WOULD NEED TO GO AROUND. I ASKED THE FO TO ASK THE TWR IF WE COULD DO AN S-TURN ON FINAL TO LOSE ALT; BUT FREQ CONGESTION DUE TO DEPARTING TFC ON RWY 31 PREVENTED RECEIVING PERMISSION. I DID AN S-TURN TO THE L AND BACK. LINING UP ON THE RWY AGAIN; IT NOW APPEARED THAT WE COULD SAFELY COMPLETE THE APCH AND LNDG. WE WERE CONFIGURED AND STABILIZED BY 500 FT; AS OUR PROCS REQUIRE ON A VISUAL APCH. WE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER COMMENT OR INCIDENT. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AWARE OF OUR ALT AND SPD WHEN CLRED FOR THE APCH. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL LOWER THE GEAR EARLIER TO HELP REDUCE SPD. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT IT WAS A SUNNY DAY WITH MEDIUM TFC SO LGA WAS NOT ISSUING ASSIGNED AIRSPDS AS THEY USUALLY DO. ON A BUSY DAY IF YOU SLOW ON YOUR OWN; APCH USUALLY GETS UPSET. THIS RPT IS FOR THE S-TURN TO LOSE ALT ON FINAL. THE TWR DID NOT COMMENT; BUT IT WAS AN UNEXPECTED MANEUVER FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 22.

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.