EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Workload; Situational Awareness
Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors
Coming into SMF we requested [Runway] 16L from the first Arrival Controller. The pilot flying stayed high on the downwind and ATC inquired if we could make it to the runway from there. Believing we could; we said yes. The Controller then cleared us for [Runway] 16R which we were not prepared for. We asked for the left and he asked if we had the traffic on final in sight which we did. I recommended to the pilot flying that we should descend faster to get on glidepath. I don't think he realized how high he was and how the plane doesn't like to go down and slow down. We turned final high but still within the capabilities of making it down for a stable approach. We configured with gear down and flaps 3 and 180 KTS to get down on glidepath. ATC then informed us that we had a 70 KTS overtake on the traffic on final. We attempted to slow while trying to descend. About this time it was apparent we probably weren't going to be stable; but ATC issued a go-around as the preceding aircraft was rolling to the end of the runway and would not be off before our arrival. We executed a go-around and landed without incident. I should have been more assertive in recommending we descend sooner instead of staying high. Had we been lower sooner; we could have slowed more easily for the preceding traffic. One note from the go-around I would like to mention is that the intercom does not function while talking on the radio making it difficult for the pilot not flying to both answer ATC and comply with any commands from the pilot flying. It would be helpful in training to get more complex missed instructions than just straight out and get them while the pilot flying is trying to ask for heading; flight level change; and flap retractions.
Air Carrier flight crew reports being high and fast after a downwind entry to a visual approach. With the approach unstabilized and the traffic ahead not clearing the runway; ATC issues a go-around that the crew was about to announce on their own.