B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 155; Flight Crew Total 30000; Flight Crew Type 4000
Confusion; Workload; Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface; Fatigue; Distraction; Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Aircraft Automation Overrode Flight Crew; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors; Procedure; Weather
Was left a little high on the glide slope (GS) by ATC when given the clearance heading 190; 2;500 FT; cleared ILS; 180 kts to the FAF. Abeam the airport we were presently flaps 5 approximately 180 kts. I put out a little speed brake to help the descent to 2500 FT so as to get on the GS. We intercepted the LOC a dot or more above the GS. The jet started to level at 2500 FT so I asked the First Officer (FO) to roll the MCP ALT down to 2000 FT. Putting the gear down would have helped but I didn't even think of it. At 2000 still above the GS the jet leveled. I reached over and rolled the MCP down to 00000 and in the same movement rolled it back up to something say that 'zero is allowed'. I told the FO to set something so I could V-Speed down. Got the flaps to 20 and lowered the gear late; 1400-1300 FT; landing checklist.  BUT the speed brake was still out. From here we became totally unstabilized. Relief pilot (IRO) right aft seat called-out 'go around.....go around.' He said it twice because I didn't hit the TOGA switch and only pushed up the throttles so he couldn't see things happening AND NEITHER COULD I. I think I hit the autothrottles button; I did not hit TOGA so I had very conflicting info in front of me. Somebody yelled 'speed brake' and I pushed the speed brake lever down. That helped a lot! At some point I finally got it climbing with lots of coaching just via raw data. There was late gear retraction; and flap retraction. We kind of stabilized at 1000 FT; my FO told me he reset both Flight Directors and got things cleaned up. I flew to 3000; the MA altitude and then flew to 5000 as cleared by ATC. At this point I gave the FO the jet. We blocked in with 18.3 fuel remaining.
Captain pilot flying (PF). FO Pilot Monitoring (PM). 2 IRO's. Capt and FO took Second Break of 6:30 Minutes. Been awake and in the chair for 1 hr prior to incident. Flight vectored to final at 4000 FT MSL to intercept Localizer. LOC mode selected. Cleared for the approach; but PF opted to NOT select Approach mode because we were approx 1/2 dot above the glideslope. PF tried to select Flight Level Change to begin descent; but Altitude window still read 4000 FT. He tried to roll altitude down to 2000 FT and re-select FLCH. But then he selected Vertical Speed and rolled -1300 in the FPM window to drive the aircraft down to the Glideslope. Much discussion regarding situation and what was going on. IRO directed to concentrate on getting on GlideSlope and while descending; called out;'okay; there's your glideslope'; but Approach mode not selected. I think the autopilot was still engaged; and still in V/S mode; so it continued to descend through the glideslope. PF and PM were both trying to select the appropriate mode to capture the glideslope; but much discussion and many switch errors; including: late configuring; (now flaps 20); extended speed brakes; selecting 0000 in the MCP Altitude window. Discussion and direction to set a better altitude. No situational awareness by pilots that aircraft was descending below the glideslope. At 1 dot low; IRO announced; 1 dot low; but no response and no change in aircraft attitude. At 2 dots low; IRO announced 2 dots low; but still no change in flight status. At approx 1150' MSL; IRO called for GO AROUND. Other IRO announced that GO Around was called; let's go. Approximately 10 seconds passed when IRO forcefully directed GO AROUND; NOW!. At that time; PF began to move throttles forward; but never selected TOGA switch. Power reached approx 80%. But aircraft continued to descend below 500'; while PF slowly tried to execute Go around. No commands were issued. IRO left; began telling pilots to accomplish one task at a time. Raise the nose. Power up. Stow Speed brakes. Stow gear. PF struggled with situation until descent arrested at approximately 390 FT MSL. PM cycled flight directors and autopilot; and PF seemed to regain Situational Awareness and control of the aircraft. Climb-out to LNAV via published per tower directive. Resequenced for approach. Transfer of Aircraft Control. Second approach and landing uneventful.
B777 flight crew descended below the glideslope in vertical speed during an ILS approach. At 390 FT flight crew executed a partial go-around after both jumpseated international Relief Officers commanded go-around.