Medium Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors; Procedure; Weather
While on approach for Runway 16L at SEA we passed FINKA (the FAF) and was finishing the configuration for an approach when SEA Tower gave us a go around. We were at 1;400 feet slowing through 145 knots and fully configured. The instructions were 'go around; fly heading 200 climb to 2;000 feet. Contact approach'. We complied no problem. We were boxed around for another approach. At the exact same location we received the exact same instructions. Another go around. This time though as we were turning and climbing the controller's voice [switched].The (trainer I think) started to insist that we acknowledge the go around. My First Officer told him to stand by. The controller then started to lecture us on his need for an acknowledgement. I told him we were busy; but he kept lecturing us. The controller was creating a hazardous situation when we were very busy. He then switched us to Departure where we got vectored back for another approach and we stated that we were now minimum fuel. We were down to about 2;000 LBS total. This time we landed with no problems with the [the original] controller working the local control position. My problem is; that when I was working Towers; the fact that we were complying with the instructions was acknowledgement and they could look at their radar and see our track turning and the data block showing an increase in altitude. [The controller's] lectures [were] very distracting and caused a very dangerous situation at a critical time of very high workload.Got too close to the preceding aircraft on approach. We held the required 170 knots until FINKA then slowed.
An aircraft was issued go-around instructions for two approaches in a row. The pilot felt they were too busy to read back the ATC instructions.