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Flight OperationsIntelligence brief

Unstable Approach

Recognize when path, speed, configuration, power, or crew readiness has moved outside applicable stabilized-approach criteria.

Knowledge connections
6FDM parameters
4Occurrence cases
80Evidence records
4Related topics
01 / Overview

Definition

An approach that does not meet, or ceases to meet, the operator's defined stabilized criteria by the applicable gate or thereafter.

Why it matters

Continuing an unstable approach reduces the time and runway available to correct energy, alignment, and configuration and is linked to hard landings, excursions, tail strikes, and CFIT.

Research lens

Questions that turn reading into a defensible review

A strong review separates the event description, possible precursors, recorded evidence, approved criteria, and the final safety decision.

01 · Frame

What exactly is being examined?

An approach that does not meet, or ceases to meet, the operator's defined stabilized criteria by the applicable gate or thereafter.

02 · Challenge

Which conditions could build the exposure?

Late descent or runway change; Excess energy, weather, distraction, or poor automation management.

03 · Corroborate

What evidence would strengthen the picture?

Speed, path, descent rate, thrust, configuration, checklist state, and landing alignment at defined gates Go-around compliance after a validated unstable event

04 · Bound

What must remain authoritative?

Current approved aircraft data, operator procedures, investigation findings, and the source document’s own scope control any operational conclusion.

What recorded data can support

Timeline, aircraft state, relationships, and recurrence

Radio altitude, Vertical speed, Calibrated airspeed, Engine thrust, Autopilot status, Landing gear status can contribute to a synchronized event picture when their mappings, units, sampling, and flight-phase logic are validated.

What it cannot establish alone

Cause, intent, compliance, and technical disposition

An FDM alert or pattern is not by itself a causal finding, judgement of individual performance, regulatory conclusion, or aircraft maintenance and airworthiness determination.

What should corroborate it

Reports, approved criteria, context, and authoritative evidence

Combine the recorded picture with applicable procedures, crew and operational reports, weather or airport information, technical evidence, and the linked official publications and investigation sources.

02 / Visual model

Approach stability gates

A multi-signal trace shows whether path, speed, power, and configuration converge before the gate and remain stable.

01Plan
02Configure
03Meet the gate
04Monitor to touchdown
05Go around when criteria are not met
03 / Operational context

Common causes and precursors

  1. →

    Late descent or runway change

  2. →

    Excess energy, weather, distraction, or poor automation management

  3. →

    Continuation bias and weak go-around callouts

Operational risks

  1. R1

    Long or hard landing

  2. R2

    Runway excursion

  3. R3

    Loss of control or CFIT

04 / Control strategy

Guidance themes

These are cross-source themes for orientation. Apply only the current, approved material for the aircraft and operation.

  • Use published operator criteria and gates
  • Either pilot should be able to call a go-around
  • Monitor trends, not only a single gate snapshot

Safety actions to consider

01

Simplify and rehearse go-around policy

02

Review repeated precursors by airport and approach

03

Protect crews from informal pressure to continue

05 / Flight data monitoring

Parameters that help explain the event

A useful event picture comes from signal relationships—not a single exceedance or a generic threshold.

ft

Radio altitude

Radio altitude provides the low-height reference needed to align approach gates, flare, touchdown, warning, and go-around events.

Open parameter guide ↗ft/min or m/s

Vertical speed

It helps describe energy management, approach stability, flare development, and the severity context of a touchdown.

Open parameter guide ↗kt

Calibrated airspeed

Speed relative to the applicable target and configuration is central to energy management, approach stability, runway performance, and stall margin.

Open parameter guide ↗% / ratio / aircraft-specific

Engine thrust

Thrust is a primary part of energy control and is essential for understanding approach corrections, takeoff, go-around, and engine malfunctions.

Open parameter guide ↗discrete / mode

Autopilot status

Mode transitions can explain changes in path, speed protection, pilot expectation, workload, and manual-control readiness.

Open parameter guide ↗discrete

Landing gear status

Gear and weight-on-wheels transitions anchor takeoff, touchdown, bounce, go-around, braking, spoiler, and reverser logic.

Open parameter guide ↗

Recommended monitoring questions

Q1

Speed, path, descent rate, thrust, configuration, checklist state, and landing alignment at defined gates

Q2

Go-around compliance after a validated unstable event

06 / Investigated occurrences

Cases that add context

ASIP provides a concise learning index. The investigation authority report remains the definitive source.

2013approach

Asiana Airlines Flight 214 — San Francisco

During a visual approach, the aircraft descended below the desired path and its airspeed decayed. The crew recognized the low-energy condition late, and the go-around was initiated too late to avoid impact with the seawall.

Boeing 777-200ER · San Francisco International Airport, California
2005landing

Air France Flight 358 — Toronto

The aircraft deviated above the glideslope in worsening convective weather, crossed the threshold high, touched down about 3,800 ft beyond it, and could not stop on the remaining wet runway.

Airbus A340-313 · Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Ontario
2000landing

Southwest Airlines Flight 1455 — Burbank

The flight arrived high and fast, continued an unstabilized steep approach, touched down at excessive speed, and overran the short runway.

Boeing 737-3T5 · Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport, California
2013approach

UPS Flight 1354 — Birmingham

The crew continued an unstabilized nonprecision approach and descended below the minimum altitude before the runway environment was in sight, resulting in controlled flight into terrain.

Airbus A300-600 · Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, Alabama
07 / Public-source reading

Editor-reviewed starting points

These records include a deeper ASIP editorial review. Continue to the full evidence index below for direct matches and broader manufacturer, regulator, and investigation reading.

01
U.S. Federal Aviation Administration · 2023-08-28

AC 91-79B — Aircraft Landing Performance and Runway Excursion Mitigation

This FAA circular brings together landing-performance planning, time-of-arrival assessment, RCAM information, and operational practices for reducing runway-excursion risk.

Official source
02
U.S. National Transportation Safety Board · 2019-03

Safety Alert SA-077 — Stabilized Approaches Lead to Safe Landings

The NTSB alert highlights the need to establish and maintain a stabilized approach and to go around when an approach falls outside applicable criteria.

Official source
03
Flight Safety Foundation · 2017

Go-Around Decision-Making and Execution Project — Final Report

The Flight Safety Foundation project examines go-around policy compliance, decision biases, operational pressures, and the risks that also need to be managed during go-around execution.

Official source
Directly matched7

Title or indexed metadata explicitly matches this topic.

Broader reading73

Related collection material for adjacent systems, phases, and defenses.

Publishers represented5

Manufacturer, regulator, investigation, and safety-organization sources.

Coverage lens

Where the reading comes from

U.S. Federal Aviation Administration40
Airbus Safety First32
U.S. National Transportation Safety Board6
Flight Safety Foundation1
Boeing1

80 source records

Official links · no copied report files

80 source records match the current evidence filters.

U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationDirect topic match

AC 91-79B — Aircraft Landing Performance and Runway Excursion Mitigation

This FAA circular brings together landing-performance planning, time-of-arrival assessment, RCAM information, and operational practices for reducing runway-excursion risk.

GuidanceAug 2023faa-ac-91-79b
Open official source
U.S. National Transportation Safety BoardDirect topic match

Safety Alert SA-077 — Stabilized Approaches Lead to Safe Landings

The NTSB alert highlights the need to establish and maintain a stabilized approach and to go around when an approach falls outside applicable criteria.

Safety alertMar 2019ntsb-sa-077
Open official source
Flight Safety FoundationDirect topic match

Go-Around Decision-Making and Execution Project — Final Report

The Flight Safety Foundation project examines go-around policy compliance, decision biases, operational pressures, and the risks that also need to be managed during go-around execution.

Toolkit2017fsf-go-around-project
Open official source
Airbus Safety FirstDirect topic match

Lining Up with the Correct Glide Slope

Official Airbus Safety First material indexed for approach and landing. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Manufacturer articleDate on source
Open official source
Airbus Safety FirstDirect topic match

Near CFIT event during Non Precision Approach

Official Airbus Safety First material indexed for approach and landing. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Manufacturer articleDate on source
Open official source
Airbus Safety FirstDirect topic match

The Circling Approach

Official Airbus Safety First material indexed for approach and landing. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Manufacturer articleDate on source
Open official source
Airbus Safety FirstDirect topic match

Use the Correct BARO Setting for Approach

Official Airbus Safety First material indexed for approach and landing. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Manufacturer articleDate on source
Open official source
U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationBroader collection match

SAFO 24002 — Recognizing and Mitigating Global Positioning System (GPS) / Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Disruptions

Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for navigation and surveillance and airworthiness and systems. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Safety Alert for Operators2024SAFO 24002
Open official source
U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationBroader collection match

SAFO 24004 — Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) Transmitter Anomalies

Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for navigation and surveillance. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Safety Alert for Operators2024SAFO 24004
Open official source
U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationBroader collection match

SAFO 23001 — Potential Damage to Nose Landing Gear (NLG) by Improper Towing Procedures of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Regional Jet (MHIRJ) (formerly Bombardier) CL-600-2B19, CL-600-2C10 and CL-600-2D24 Airplanes

Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for approach and landing and ground operations. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Safety Alert for Operators2023SAFO 23001
Open official source
U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationBroader collection match

SAFO 22003 — SAFO 22003, Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System II (TCAS II) Alerts at Denver International Airport (DEN)

Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for navigation and surveillance and airworthiness and systems. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Safety Alert for Operators2022SAFO 22003
Open official source
U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationBroader collection match

SAFO 21004 — SAFO 21004, Air Traffic Control (ATC) Notification and Pilot Awareness When Conducting an Instrument Landing System (ILS) Autoland Procedure

Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for approach and landing and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Safety Alert for Operators2021SAFO 21004
Open official source
U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationBroader collection match

SAFO 20014 — SAFO 20014, Boeing 737-8 and 737-9 Airplanes: Pilot Training and Flight Simulation Training Devices ( FSTD ) Updates

Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Safety Alert for Operators2020SAFO 20014
Open official source
U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationBroader collection match

SAFO 18004 — SAFO 18004, Rotorcraft External Load Attaching Means and Quick Release Devices for Human External Cargo ( HEC )

Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for cabin and cargo and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Safety Alert for Operators2018SAFO 18004
Open official source
U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationBroader collection match

SAFO 18009 — SAFO 18009, Risk of Runway Number Transposition Leading to a possible "Runway Overrun" During Takeoff at San Francisco International Airport ( SFO )

Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for approach and landing and takeoff. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Safety Alert for Operators2018SAFO 18009
Open official source
U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationBroader collection match

SAFO 18013 — SAFO 18013, Updated Rotorcraft External Load Attaching Means and Quick Release Devices for Human External Cargo ( HEC )

Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for cabin and cargo and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Safety Alert for Operators2018SAFO 18013
Open official source
U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationBroader collection match

SAFO 17001 — SAFO 17001, Pilot and Flightcrew Awareness of Class B Airspace Boundaries

Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Safety Alert for Operators2017SAFO 17001
Open official source
U.S. Federal Aviation AdministrationBroader collection match

SAFO 17002 — SAFO 17002, Improper Transponder and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast ( ADS-B ) OUT Equipment Testing

Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for navigation and surveillance. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.

Safety Alert for Operators2017SAFO 17002
Open official source
08 / Synthesis

Lessons learned

1Stability is an actively maintained condition

2A gate supports a decision; it does not replace judgement when conditions deteriorate later

Continue exploring

Flight Operations

Hard Landing

↗Flight Operations

Runway Excursion

↗Flight Operations

Go-Around Decision and Execution

↗Flight Operations

Landing Performance

↗