RESA, of all the Ops manuals I've seen, if unstable below 500', then it's a mandatory go around. Unstable means "not in the slot" (a whole lot of parameters, but that's what it means) .
150' over the THR will have you touching down 3000' down the runway. It seems that they may have been higher than 150 if they hit mother earth 4000' down the strip and that is definitely not in the slot.
Rather be flying, I hear what you say, and understand, but if the TS was so close that it precluded a go around, then perhaps the approach should never have been made, and that's [particularly relevant if a turn in away from the TS was not feasible during the MA path. This was an experienced crew, and even a relatively inexperienced crew would have looked at that. See bit on heightened awareness below.
Once again, I've seen manuals that state an aircraft must not approach within5kms-5nm from approaching TS, even further behind receding TS, and that would not prevent a successful go around. The extra couple of thousand feet eaten up in the float was valuable distance that could have been used in the GA.
I think most pilots are the same; when things start to unwind, we move into a level of heightened awareness, and this is one of those situations, surely. It's easy to sit back and relax on a CAVOK day,but with terminal area TS, possible microburst, tailwind landing, wet runway, etc the bells start ringing.
Pilots have enormous authority, but within narrow parameters; does it fit within the box? If not, don't do it and you ll be safe. It's the rules that make it safe.
alf, nice post with good info.
Tripper, you are wrong. Most pilots don't think that they cant make a mistake, but they HOPE they don't make a mistake, and particularly one of these proportions. You're not airline management are you?
Last edited by relax737; 12th Aug 2005 at 05:23.