A321
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure; Workload
ATC Issue 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; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Airspace Structure; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Procedure; Company Policy
I was the First Officer and Pilot Flying. We were flying the RNAV arrival and were told to expect a Visual Approach to runway 36R Approach Control. While being vectored onto the base leg; and at the last minute; we were told to switch runways to Runway 35R. Approach Control kept us at an altitude of 3;000 feet due to traffic already established on final approach for Runway 36R. We were then cleared to descend to 2;600 feet and were assigned a turn to join the final approach course just outside of the Final Approach Fix for Runway 35R. We were still at an altitude of 2;600 feet as we crossed the fix and then were cleared for the Visual Approach to Runway 35R. This is 1;000 feet higher than the published altitude of 1;600 feet to cross. Due to the late turn to final approach and our higher altitude at the final approach fix we were unable to maintain stabilized approach criteria and executed a go-around. Approach Control vectored us back around for another Visual Approach to Runway 35R. We executed a stabilized approach and normal landing on the second attempt.This event occurred due to the last minute decision by Approach Control to switch our landing runway; the subsequent late turn to final approach; and the higher-than-normal altitude assigned. We were unable to descend on profile and maintain stabilized approach criteria.
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A321 flight crew reported an unstable approach after being turned onto final too close to the final approach fix and above glidepath by ATC.