B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction
Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
During a visual approach; I was the Pilot Monitoring (PM) and the First Officer was the Pilot Flying (PF). While on a right downwind pattern; ATC asked if we had the airport. I told the FO to 'call it if he saw it' as I could not see the airport from the left seat. He said he did; in fact; have the airport; and reported this to ATC. We were then cleared for the visual approach.Just as he began his right hand; descending turn toward the runway; the angle of the rising sun was such that I was temporarily blinded for about 10 seconds and could not see a thing; inside or outside the aircraft; let alone; the instrument panel. Just as I regained my vision; I noticed we were about 12 knots below 'Ref' speed; and called out 'airspeed.' At that very instant; I felt the wings begin to buffet so I then said 'roll wings level; roll wings level' in order to decrease the aircraft's angle of bank.The FO decreased the Angle Of Bank (AOB) sufficiently to stop the buffet and I then told him to 'go around.' The PF then began to execute the go-around; but unbeknownst to me; he had not hit the TO/GA button; so I was unaware that the FMS was still in the 'approach mode.' As a result; I was initially having difficulty programming the Flight Control Panel (FCP) to comply with ATC's missed approach instructions. After the PF cycled the flight directors 'off' then 'on;' I was then able to program the FCP accordingly. After 'cleaning the aircraft up' from the go-around; we came back around and made a second; and this time; uneventful visual approach and landing.As far as being blinded by the sun; I'm not sure what I could have done differently. As for the procedural error during the go-around; since we do so few go-arounds on the line and when we do perform the occasional go-around; they are never from the 'canned' spot; fully configured; at the end of an instrument approach; like we have done for years 'in the box.' I suggest spending some time during training doing a variety of go-arounds; from a variety of approach scenarios; in a variety of aircraft configurations.
Approach brought us in from the southwest and told us to keep the speed up since we were number one. I had never arrived from that direction and was expecting vectors to final similar to an arrival from the east. We were on an assigned heading approaching the airport at about a 45-degree angle. I was becoming confused as to their intentions due to the close lateral offset from the airport when they asked if we had the field. I told the Captain I did and ATC cleared us visually. I immediately started slowing and configuring.The rising sun combined with the airport so close off the right wing made maintaining the field in sight challenging. I wanted to turn farther northwest but didn't; given field proximity to another airport and also I knew I would not be able to maintain sight of the field. I put the final approach fix at the top of the LEGS page and brought up the descent page to help judge when I could turn base. Fearing I was soon going to lose the airport behind the right wing; I looked at the descent page and it showed 1;200 feet to make the fix crossing. I decided I needed to start the turn or break off the approach so I began a base turn.About mid-turn and passing roughly 2;000 feet AGL; I recall looking out and recognizing we were high. I attempted to maintain our speed with pitch. I glanced back in and noticed our airspeed bleeding off; so I slowly was adding power and holding the nose down. I saw the aircraft slow to about seven to ten knots below target before I could get the engines to spool and we did feel a short buffet. The Captain stated 'airspeed' and 'roll wings level;' which I did. At that point; he also verbalized what I was thinking when he said 'go around.' We executed a go-around and landed the aircraft normally.Felt ATC put us in a bad spot to complete a visual approach. I suspect we had winds from the west; which did not help either. Having seen this once; I feel like I could anticipate better and do several things differently. Also; not having spent much time in older model aircraft recently; I felt like the engines did not spool up as quickly as I thought they would.
B737 First Officer became confused during arrival when cleared for a visual approach after expecting vectors for a straight in approach. The aircraft was positioned on a 45 to the right downwind when the visual approach clearance was received and between the maneuvering required to line up and the sun angle into the cockpit; airspeed was allowed to get very low. The Captain commanded a go around and the second approach was successful.