Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 120; Flight Crew Total 25000; Flight Crew Type 1000
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Human Factors
[I was] SIC inbound and on circle to land RWY XX at ZZZ from RNAV GPS RWY XY. While being cleared for the RNAV XY circle to land XX at ZZZ; the PIC flew through the final approach course due to her disarming the approach function in the Universal UNS-1 FMS. We were vectored back on course by ZZZ Approach Control. As we saw the runway and were descending to the initial approach altitude; ZZZ Approach Control cleared us for the visual to XX circle east; report canceling instruments with him or Tower. The PIC was preoccupied with many other extraneous matters and was voicing that. She began her descent to the circling altitude of 1;160 msl while I checked in with the Tower and canceled instruments. I recommended her to level off at the pattern altitude of 2;100 MSL; in order to have a much better view of the runway for the downwind circle. The ceiling and visibility were excellent. She disregarded my advice and continued her descent to the much lower circle altitude. When we arrived at the circle alt I was having difficulty keeping the runway in sight; the PIC had disengaged the A/P and was hand flying. Her heading was [20 degrees off from the] reciprocal of the landing runway and she was allowing the aircraft airspeed to slow down near Vref. I brought this to her attention several times and she would momentarily correct. As her situational awareness deteriorated; she told me to have the Tower call her base leg turn. I was struggling to keep the runway in sight at this low altitude and monitoring our airspeed and heading. She became preoccupied with what a poor impression she was presenting to our passengers; I told her to forget that and fly the aircraft. As a small single engine prop aircraft in the pattern with us was cleared to turn base and land; she became more anxious about ours and the runway location. I saw the aircraft turn base and told her she could begin her turn toward the runway; again her airspeed management became an issue. Her turn rate was becoming insufficient and I was more emphatic in my calls to her on turn rate and airspeed. At this point she became audibly irate with me and rolled out of her turn only to line up with Runway XZ instead of Runway XX. At this point the Tower; noticing the error; cleared her to land on RWY XZ. I asked her if that was her intention; at which she exclaimed RWY XZ was too short for us to land. I told the Tower we declined to land on RWY XZ because it was too short and the Tower told us to 'go around'. She did not execute our SOP missed approach procedure; I asked her if she was going to 'go around'; no answer. She simply flew the aircraft down the runway at the circling altitude. The Tower noticed this and asked our intentions. I said we would like to land on Runway XX; the Tower cleared us to turn left and enter the downwind for Runway XX. At this point I looked over in front of her and noticed the REILS and then the PAPI for RWY XX. I announced this to her; she apparently saw the runway and began here turn. I told the Tower we had the runway in sight. The Tower then cleared us to land. Even at this point in the approach sequence the PIC was complaining that she was going to look bad to the passengers. Again; I told her to forget about that and fly the aircraft. In summary I was very apprehensive regarding taking control of the aircraft from her at that low altitude and her low airspeed at night because of the possible negative and perilous reaction she might have. There was no CRM or situational awareness present and she was not at all responsive to my guidance.
Corporate jet SIC reported that during a circle to land maneuver at night; the PIC lined up with the wrong runway; allowed airspeed to decay; and did not execute an ATC-commanded go-around. The PIC did not respond to the SIC's guidance and CRM was compromised.