Bumz Rush- I am starting to pick up severe inconsistencies. you said:
My first point of concern was as we were "x wind", we would normally be on a Radar heading. ( I do not have the charts in front of me). The first indication of a problem, was that (on the left hand side), I could see Algeceras port, VERY close, then a almost 90 degree turn to the right. We were ( on my side ) VMC, NO real turbulance, but reasonable strong wind. (the GIB plates do warn of turbulance.)
This visual sighting would suggest we were much closer to the runway, that usual, for the two bites at the final turn.
As a result would have been too close for a stable approach.
1- I can't imagine at night approaching Gib bay from the south you were on anything other than a radar vector
2- So was it a 'problem' that you were VERY close to Algeciras?
3- If you were that close to Algeciras, you were on a wide base leg, so why do you say you were 'much closer to the runway' than usual for the 2 bites for final? It would appear there was not much 'cutting the corner' because you refer to a 90 degree turn to the right. Yet still you say that you were 'too close for a stable approach'? Well, were you too near or too far- which is it?
4- At some stage the aeroplane was on finals and went around. I assume it went around straight ahead to the east and did not do the impossible, a hard right to pass to the west of the Rock right over the town? So what part of town was overflown exactly?
5- The runway is close to the Rock, and buildings come right up to the runway. Was it nothing more than a low go-around that people were startled by? There is not much scope for passing south of the runway during the go-around. Can one say that because it was night and because of the terrain, they poured on all the coals that Messrs. Rolls & Royce could supply- a very noisy low go-around?
Any pilot quickly learns one cannot trust any distance perception at night. You were in the back seat of a 757 on the left, in a right hand circuit. I think it difficult to accurately assess what befell the flight until the FDR is accessed, and for the sake of the crew, a public review of what 'might have happened' is better withheld until the report over the 'incident' is released, or further positive information is officially given. It is just not fair to the crew or the airline to keep on with this speculation.