A320
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Total 4100
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface
Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Aircraft; Airspace Structure; Human Factors
This was our 3rd leg together and my 3rd leg since completing Initial Operating Experience. The weather was VMC and the wind light. We flew the arrival to vectors to a visual approach to 25L; backed up by the ILS. The approach was steep and fast and resulted in a go-around at 500 FT AGL. At 1000 FT AGL; our vertical speed commanded in the FCU was steeper than -1;000 FPM but was immediately recognized and corrected. At approximately 650 FT AGL; in a descent to intercept the glideslope from above; with both autopilots engaged; as the aircraft intercepted the glideslope; the aircraft pitched aggressively towards the ground. As Pilot Flying; I do not feel that I initiated that pitch input. I immediately disconnected the autopilot and recovered the aircraft. The GPWS announced 'terrain; pull up' and the Captain took the aircraft and initiated a go around.Causation: We [had] accepted clearance for the visual approach while 90 degrees off runway heading; in a position too steep and fast for me to make a stable approach. It was clear to me at 1000 FT AGL that the approach was not stable nor salvageable; but we elected to continue to 500 FT AGL. I don't feel like my initial qualification training prepared me well for this dynamic real world of vectors to a visual approach.At this time; I have 30 hours in the aircraft and 43 total hours of civil flying experience. After returning to [the Company] after an extended military leave; I have 30 total hours of flying experience in the last 2.5 years. While on visual approach; I still struggle with the automation to make the aircraft descend to glide slope and intercept the ILS glideslope from above - scenarios not covered in simulator training. We received a traffic call of a 737 to the parallel runway in the same radio call clearing us for a visual approach. Searching for that traffic further delayed initiation of our descent to glideslope. Please consider what caused the alarming pitch down of the aircraft at 650 FT AGL. If it was me; I'd like to know how to not do it again. If it wasn't me; that seems like a problem.
A First Officer piloting an Airbus 320 reported that the aircraft aggressively pitched down when capturing the glideslope from above.