Air carrier on visual approach to dca issued ATC go around but not given any altitude assignment; re...

Narrative:

We were cleared for the mt vernon visual approach to runway 1 in dca. On final the tower controller asked us to s-turn for spacing. The controller had put an aircraft in position on our runway and was waiting for an rj landing on the crossing runway to land before clearing the one in position for takeoff. The spacing was not going to work so the controller directed us to go around and fly a heading of 050 degrees. The controller did not; however; give us an altitude to climb to. There is no published missed approach procedure or altitude for this visual approach. As we climbed out; we were going to default to the missed approach altitude of the underlying ILS approach. That used to be the guidance in our pilot handbook but I don't believe that is currently a published procedure. We asked the controller for an altitude assignment and a new voice came on the frequency clearing us to 2000 ft and continuing the turn to a heading of 180 degrees. We were vectored around for another visual approach and landing. The controller was trying to get the maximum efficiency out of the airspace available and this time the timing between all 3 aircraft (us on approach; 1 in position for takeoff and 1 on final on the crossing runway) just didn't work out. My concern; however; is the lack of altitude guidance from the controller and the lack of a procedure in our book for us to fall back on; in the absence of a clearance; since most visual approachs have no published missed approach procedure. Clearer guidance in the pilot handbook is needed to address this possible situation. Specifically; since most visual approachs do not have a published missed approach procedure; a procedure to fall back on for visual approachs if no direction is immediately provided by ATC. There was; at one time; some guidance in our book but I believe it has been removed. If the guidance already exists in our pubs; I will stand corrected and would love to know where it is so I can promote it to others. Several of us looked for it and were unable to find it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON VISUAL APCH TO DCA ISSUED ATC GAR BUT NOT GIVEN ANY ALT ASSIGNMENT; REPORTER SUGGESTED MORE VISUAL APCH GAR GUIDANCE NEEDED.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR THE MT VERNON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 1 IN DCA. ON FINAL THE TWR CTLR ASKED US TO S-TURN FOR SPACING. THE CTLR HAD PUT AN ACFT IN POS ON OUR RWY AND WAS WAITING FOR AN RJ LNDG ON THE XING RWY TO LAND BEFORE CLRING THE ONE IN POS FOR TKOF. THE SPACING WAS NOT GOING TO WORK SO THE CTLR DIRECTED US TO GO AROUND AND FLY A HDG OF 050 DEGS. THE CTLR DID NOT; HOWEVER; GIVE US AN ALT TO CLB TO. THERE IS NO PUBLISHED MISSED APCH PROC OR ALT FOR THIS VISUAL APCH. AS WE CLBED OUT; WE WERE GOING TO DEFAULT TO THE MISSED APCH ALT OF THE UNDERLYING ILS APCH. THAT USED TO BE THE GUIDANCE IN OUR PLT HANDBOOK BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS CURRENTLY A PUBLISHED PROC. WE ASKED THE CTLR FOR AN ALT ASSIGNMENT AND A NEW VOICE CAME ON THE FREQ CLRING US TO 2000 FT AND CONTINUING THE TURN TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS. WE WERE VECTORED AROUND FOR ANOTHER VISUAL APCH AND LNDG. THE CTLR WAS TRYING TO GET THE MAX EFFICIENCY OUT OF THE AIRSPACE AVAILABLE AND THIS TIME THE TIMING BTWN ALL 3 ACFT (US ON APCH; 1 IN POS FOR TKOF AND 1 ON FINAL ON THE XING RWY) JUST DIDN'T WORK OUT. MY CONCERN; HOWEVER; IS THE LACK OF ALT GUIDANCE FROM THE CTLR AND THE LACK OF A PROC IN OUR BOOK FOR US TO FALL BACK ON; IN THE ABSENCE OF A CLRNC; SINCE MOST VISUAL APCHS HAVE NO PUBLISHED MISSED APCH PROC. CLEARER GUIDANCE IN THE PLT HANDBOOK IS NEEDED TO ADDRESS THIS POSSIBLE SITUATION. SPECIFICALLY; SINCE MOST VISUAL APCHS DO NOT HAVE A PUBLISHED MISSED APCH PROC; A PROC TO FALL BACK ON FOR VISUAL APCHS IF NO DIRECTION IS IMMEDIATELY PROVIDED BY ATC. THERE WAS; AT ONE TIME; SOME GUIDANCE IN OUR BOOK BUT I BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN REMOVED. IF THE GUIDANCE ALREADY EXISTS IN OUR PUBS; I WILL STAND CORRECTED AND WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHERE IT IS SO I CAN PROMOTE IT TO OTHERS. SEVERAL OF US LOOKED FOR IT AND WERE UNABLE TO FIND IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Attributes
ACN	787775
Time
Date	200805
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	landing : missed approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	787775
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Air carrier on visual approach to dca issued ATC go around but not given any altitude assignment; reporter suggested more visual approach go around guidance needed.