Missed Approach
Missed Approach
Description
When, for any reason, it is judged that an approach or landing cannot be continued to a successful landing, a missed approach or go-around shall be flown.
Reasons for discontinuing an approach or landing may include the following:
- The required visual references have not been established by the Decision Altitude/Height (DA/DH) or Minimum Descent Altitude/Height (MDA/MDH) or is acquired but is subsequently lost;
- The approach or landing is, or has become unstabilised;
- The aircraft is not positioned so as to allow a controlled touchdown within the designated runway touchdown zone with a consequent risk of aircraft damage with or without a Runway Excursion if the attempt is continued;
- The runway is obstructed;
- Landing clearance has not been received or is issued and later cancelled;
- A go-around is being flown for training purposes with ATC approval.
Missed Approach Procedure
A missed approach procedure is the procedure to be followed if an approach cannot be continued. It specifies a point where the missed approach begins, and a point or an altitude/height where it ends. (ICAO Doc 8168: PANS-OPS)
A missed approach procedure is specified for all airfield and runway Precision Approach and Non-Precision Approach procedures. The missed approach procedure takes into account deconfliction from ground obstacles and from other air traffic flying instrument procedures in the airfield vicinity. Only one primary missed approach procedure is established for each instrument approach procedure. However, alternate missed approach procedures may also be published. Alternate procedures are normally used when the navigation aid on which the primary approach is predicated becomes inoperative.
Usually a go-around from an instrument approach should follow the specified missed approach procedure unless otherwise instructed by air traffic control or if safety reasons dictate otherwise.
If a missed approach is initiated below the DA/H in precision approach procedures, or beyond the missed approach point (MAPt) or below MDA/H in non-precision approach procedures pilots must consider if they can still safely follow the published missed approach or if they require a special routing e.g. in case of an engine failure during go-around (e.g. by birdstrike) when, depending on aircraft performance, it may be necessary to follow special engine failure turn procedures or using visual references only.
If a missed approach is initiated before arriving at the missed approach point (MAPt), it is important that pilots proceed to the MAPt (or to the middle marker fix or specified DME distance for precision approach procedures) and then follow the missed approach procedure in order to remain within the protected airspace. The MAPt may be overflown at an altitude/height greater than that required by the procedure; but in the case of a missed approach with a turn, the turn must not take place before the MAPt, unless otherwise specified in the procedure.
The MAPt in a procedure is defined by:
- the point of intersection of an electronic glide path with the applicable DA/H in precision approaches; or,
- a navigation facility, a fix, or a specified distance from the final approach fix in non-precision approaches.
A visual go around may be made after an unsuccessful visual approach if no published missed approach is available.
A go-around is often unexpected and places special demands on the pilots, who may not often have an opportunity to practice this procedure other then in the simulator. Some aspects of the go-around which deserve special study are:
- Flying a manual go-around;
- Go-around from low airspeed and/or low thrust;
- The transition to instrument flying;
- Monitoring and Crew coordination during go-around initiation;
- Awareness of initial level-off altitude vs pitch attitude and thrust setting;
- Awareness of remaining fuel and options available.
Often, if an emergency or abnormal situation develops during the final stages of an approach, it is likely that the approach will be continued to land. However, in some cases, such as a configuration issue (flaps or gear position), performing a missed approach, completing the appropriate drills and checklists to prepare for a non-standard approach and then conducting a second approach to a landing or diverting to a more suitable airfield might be the more prudent course of action.
Accidents and Incidents
The following events occurred during missed approach or involved a missed approach:
On 9 February 2024, an Airbus A300-600F bounced four times during an attempted landing at Leipzig with a significant tail strike occurring during the second bounce. This resulted in structural damage to the aircraft. A go-around and a second approach to a successful landing on an alternate runway followed, thus avoiding the damaged runway surface and debris from fuselage-runway contact. Having experienced several similar events in the same month, the aircraft operator significantly increased its pilot training focus on Hard Landing Avoidance, Bounce Recovery, Go-around Technique, and Tail Strike Avoidance in all three aircraft types operated.
On 12 August 2024, an ATR 72-500 making a Category 1 ILS approach to Guernsey with thick fog breached an approach ban by continuing its descent below the applicable minimum altitude of 1,000 feet agl. The aircraft then continued below what would have been the applicable 200 feet agl Decision Altitude without visual reference. At around 70 feet agl, a go-around was called but not correctly commenced, and the aircraft passed close to an unseen mast north of the runway before it eventually climbed. In the absence of any visibility improvement, a diversion to Southampton then followed.
On 29 April 2023, the flight crew of an Airbus A321 did not complete the intended touchdown at Abu Dhabi from the flare to land. Initiation of a go-around resulted in a tail strike due to improper high pitch control input whilst the airspeed was still low and the configuration not correct. The mishandling arose from confusion by both pilots as to the aircraft air/ground status after touchdown and involved significant dual sidestick input with no transfer of control. Once established in the climb, the remainder of the subsequent circuit to land was completed without further event.
On 4 December 2023, a Boeing 737-8200 crew misjudged positioning onto the ILS approach for arrival at London Stansted. Having decided to go around, they then continued to climb above the 3,000-foot missed approach altitude, which they had failed to set until alerted by the controller. The descent following a 1,000 feet level bust then continued back through the missed approach altitude at almost 9,000 fpm with an EGPWS ‘PULL UP’ warning just as recovery from 1,740 feet agl was initiated. After levelling at 3,000 feet, radar vectoring onto the ILS was provided with the approach then completed normally.
On 3 December 2020 an Embraer 195-200 on final approach to Sao Paulo Congonhas was given clearance to land on a runway where the same controller had already cleared a Boeing 737-800 to line up and wait. Despite good day visibility and a late call from the E195 crew querying about an aircraft on the runway, only a call from the 737 prompted the controller to instruct the E195 to go around. The E195 crew then commenced the go-around after a repeat instruction. The resulting vertical clearance between the E195 and the 737 was calculated as 22 metres.
Further Reading
- ICAO Annex 6 (Aircraft Operations)
- ICAO Doc 8168 (PANS-OPS)
- IR-OPS CAT.OP.MPA.110 & 120 & CAT.POL.A.245
- IR-OPS AMC3&4 CAT.OP.MPA.110 Aerodrome operating minima
- EU-OPS
- FAA Information for Operators 17009: Committed-to-Stop Point on Landings, July 2017
EUROCONTROL, European Regions Airline Association, and Flight Safety Foundation
Flight Safety Foundation
- ALAR Briefing Note 6.1 — Being Prepared to Go Around
- ALAR Briefing Note 6.2 — Manual Go-around
- ALAR Briefing Note 6.4 — Bounce Recovery — Rejected Landing
- Go-Around Decision-Making and Execution Project, Tzvetomir Blajev, Capt William Curtis (Flight Safety Foundation), March 2017
The Flight Safety Foundation ALAR Toolkit provides useful training information and guides to best practice. Copies of the FSF ALAR Toolkit may be ordered from the Flight Safety Foundation ALAR website.
Flight Data Services Case Studies
Go-Around Safety Forum
- Go-Around Safety Forum (GASF), Brussels 2013: Findings and Conclusions
- "Do you really understand how your trim works?" - Captain Alex Fisher
Airbus Descent Management Briefing Notes
EASA
