Medium Large Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Fatigue
Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors
Vectored to the usual 35 mile final for ILS. '180 knots to FAF; contact tower at FAF.' Coming down the approach that never ends; I noticed traffic backed up on the [local] expressway and started thinking how it was nice not to be stuck in that. Unfortunately; my mind wondered to other related topics. Although I was watching the runway the whole way down; in my apparent daydreaming; it didn't click how close we were getting to it. At about 800 feet AGL; the First Officer says; 'Oh; do you want Flaps 3?'; followed by a Landing Gear alert from the EGPWS. My mind finally snapping back from LaLa Land; told him 'Oh @&$!; no; let's go around.' We broke off the approach and TRACON was kind enough to get us back in pretty quick. Besides a bruised ego; the second approach attempt was successful and uneventful. A temporary loss of situation awareness by both crew members and insufficient Threat Management on my part. I think some mild fatigue didn't help. Unfortunately; being primarily in the Training Department; I don't fly as much as I used to. I pick up trips to stay current. Otherwise; due to training workload; I would fly even less. I used to be able to get right back in the cockpit and not miss a beat. The day prior to this; I would say that was the case. But; with age and maybe some mild fatigue added to the mix; this event has taught me I can no longer rely on that 'like riding a bicycle' feeling. I will need to make it more of a point to the First Officers to not let the 'CKA' next to my name keep them from watching me.In this particular case; the First Officer stated that he was distracted as well; which was probably the case since he was pretty sharp. It was also a good training opportunity to emphasize to him to not let a Captain (or himself) try to salvage an un-stabilized approach like that. A non-punitive go-around is much preferable to a starring role in a FOQA video.
Air carrier Captain reported they did not configure final flaps in the approach and thus executed a missed approach.