Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction; Confusion; Human-Machine Interface; Training / Qualification; Time Pressure
Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Human Factors; Weather
We anticipated a difficult arrival as the forecast weather for Newark for our arrival was '5 OVC 1SM +RA BR 1220G30'. The Captain thoroughly briefed the approach (RNAV/GPS 11) as the winds at our arrival time were 12025G37 and the ILS 11 was not in service. He even briefed us that if we saw ANYTHING unstable; we would execute a go around. We were vectored to intercept the inbound course and cleared for the approach just outside of MUFIE. We were stable and configured at 2;000 FT. I announced 'Cleared; Established and Protected' as we were established on the inbound course. The Captain dialed the MDA into the Altitude window and I confirmed it. Later; the Captain said he engaged PROF but may have hit the Vertical Speed wheel while his hand was near it because we were getting a very rough ride. Because of the high workload and turbulent conditions I failed to confirm that PROF was engaged. The airplane immediately began it's descent to the MDA and shortly thereafter we received a 'Terrain' warning from the GPWS. All three of us announced 'Go Around' and the Captain initiated the Go Around procedure. The Captain was a little slow in selecting Prof and FMS Speed which the Relief Pilot caught immediately and announced 'we're not climbing yet;' at which point the Captain properly set up the autopilot and we established the proper go around configuration. The Tower had also advised of a low level alert on our approach. We were already busy with the Go Around and communicated with Tower as workload permitted. We decided to divert to JFK to await improvement at Newark or let the company decide what they wanted to do with us. The landing in JFK was uneventful. We were all as ready as could be for this approach. We knew it would be a challenging approach and many other aircraft were going missed approach prior to our arrival. The only thing I can think of to improve our performance would be to encourage the practice of more RNAV approaches on the line. Doing an approach in adverse weather that we rarely do in practice was noted (and briefed) as a red flag item. I believe we train 'Go Arounds' sufficiently but when the weather is really adverse and the workload is high; important things can still be missed.
Our flight time had been over eight hours. We were given a late clearance for the approach due the ATC turmoil and were still descending to 2;000 FT inside of MUFIE when Captain selected the MDA (620 FT) into the ALT window. The aircraft was not in PROF and continued to descend through 2;000 FT. The terrible weather and turbulence played a huge role here because it made it hard to focus on and manipulate flight path controls. Ultimately; the requirement to fly a non-precision approach following a difficult flight led to a habit pattern mistake. The aircraft was directed to descend close to the initial fix of a NP approach and PROF was not subsequently selected leading to the unstable approach and altitude bust.
When they failed to properly configure their avionics for the RNAV Approach to Runway 11 at EWR while operating in heavy rain a turbulence the flight crew of a widebody initiated a go around and diverted to JFK following receipt of an EGPWS 'Terrain' warning and a low altitude alert from the Tower.