Back to Basics

This air carrier Captain was lulled by the COVID-19 environment, and a poorly planned, unstable approach was flown. Fortunately, the flight terminated safely, but some sound wisdom and stark lessons were revisited.

With VFR conditions, ATC was vectoring us for the approach.… We were the only airplane in the sector due to the COVID flight reductions. We were on a downwind when we were asked if we had the airport in sight for a visual approach. I said that I did, and the FO was comfortable with my decision. This is where all the mistakes started. 

I failed to communicate my plan on how to fly this approach. I disconnected the autopilot. I proceeded to the Final Approach Fix (FAF), told the FO to select 1,500 feet (the altitude for the FAF), and started to descend in Flight Level Change (FLCH). Since I haven’t flown much since the flight reductions, I’m embarrassed to admit my flying skills were very poor. I descended to 1,300 feet at the FAF as I made the sharp turn to intercept. The FO was giving me good guidance, but the long day, lack of currency, and tunnel vision for the runway made me just not hear his excellent CRM prompting.… From the FAF to below 1,000 feet, I got below the glideslope twice. At 500 feet, we were stable and landed. 

I should have gone around, but like the many pilots before me that have written scenarios of unstable approaches, I didn’t. Why not? Because it was VFR, because it was an easy approach, because I could do this. All the reasons that lead to unstable approaches.… 

So many lessons learned from this one. Visual approaches are one of the most difficult to perform. We don’t do them on a regular basis. Fly it as a full ILS. Give yourself enough room outside the FAF to get set up. Don’t rush it. Use the autopilot to get set up. Don’t hand fly, especially when it is late and you may be tired. Communicate all your intentions clearly to your flying partner. Verbalize, Verify, and Monitor (VVM). Hear and listen to your partner. They are two different things. Don’t have a big ego.… Go around. It’s not a failure. I know all of these lessons but failed to execute them. I’m sure the stress of current world events,… the lack of flying, and a lot of other outside influences are contributing factors to this [event] but are certainly no excuse. 

Article: CALLBACK 486 - July 2020, An Old Threat From a New Enemy. NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System