Medium Large Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airport; Procedure; Human Factors
Event # 1: In the vicinity of the final approach fix for the ILS 16R in SEA and beginning a missed approach; I referenced my Jepp ILS 16R SEA chart for information. The information that had been there a moment before was gone and all I saw was the airport information chart for Boeing field. This was disconcerting and distracting and took a few seconds to sort out. My immediate thought was to select app (approach). Of course this did not work because the airport had changed from SEA to Boeing field. This thought process took me at most 1 or 2 seconds to sort. As time and other tasks permitted and I recovered from my jaw dropping; I selected the SEA airport and approach which brought my ILS 16R SEA chart back. This happened at a really bad time. The good news is I nearly have the ILS 16R SEA chart memorized and so the issue did not rise above a very serious and poorly timed distraction during Event #2. Event #2: Event #2 was an out of control [congested] final approach frequency on 133.65. Due to a lack of radio discipline on the frequency; the controller was unable to communicate to us the turn to 130 degrees and intercept or cleared approach. Due to no clearance we chose to fly through the course and notify ATC except we could not notify ATC due to talk on the frequency. ATC gave us a turn back and approach clearance; except it was what pilots call a 'bad vector' due to it being too late in the process for a good vector. Intercepting final; we were way above glide path. About the time; I had decided a missed approach was going to be the outcome; the controller handed us off to tower. I stayed with approach intending to immediately convey 'missed approach'. However; due to frequency congestion there was never an opportunity to inform approach of the missed approach until approach finally queried us whether we were still with approach.
Air carrier Captain reported an anomaly with their electronic flight bag and a heavily congested approach frequency during the same approach. The second issue resulted in a go around.