EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors
Approaching RIC; we were expecting the visual approach to Runway 2. We were speaking to PCT at 2;000 FT. We were given direct to the airport. I had noticed that we were 5 miles from the airport with no approach clearance. Upon reaching 4 miles from the airport; we were cleared for the visual approach to Runway 2; after calling it in sight. However; we were approaching the airport at 200 KTS and not configured for landing. After getting configured and making our own vectors; we were on a left base for Runway 2; but too close to make an approach to landing; so we told Tower we were going to execute an S turn thru final to lose altitude. The Tower Controller then cleared us for a left base and clearance to land for Runway 34. We accepted that and continued to Runway 34. While on the base to final turn; we realized that this approach was also not going to work as we were way too close. I then told the Captain that we should go around; so I executed the go around and we made a normal visual pattern and approach to Runway 2 afterwards. Cause; the fact that we were being vectored directly to the airport; at night; rather than to an approach fix was a threat. This prevented us from making an appropriate turn and developing a plan to get set up for the landing; especially since we were not cleared for the visual approach until inside of 5 miles. Additionally; we were about 45 degrees away from either of the landing runways rather than being directly lined up. Finally; realization of all of this should have happened sooner so we could have queried the Controller; thus our planning was poor.
Air Carrier landing RIC was vectored direct to the airport at night and cleared for a visual approach less than five miles from the airport resulting in a go around; Controller technique was listed as a causal factor.