Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Confusion; Fatigue
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
Procedure; Aircraft; Human Factors
Cleared for visual 27R and although familiar with PHL and clear sky; couldn't pick out runway initially. Vectors were to a visual inside FAF and picked up runway a bit late; selected autopilot off; but failed to turn off flight directors. Speed was managed so just as flaps three called for and selected by captain; speed increased to over speed flaps. Go around was conducted while nose was pulled up and power manually reduced and flight directors turned off. After vectors to final again; almost did the same thing as flight directors had been turned back on again while hand flying aircraft; when power came up again; captain turned off flight directors and landing was made. After shutting down at gate; we had [a] discussion about what we had done wrong and about remembering to shut off flight directors in manual flight unless right on course and slope. After all night flight with minimal to no sleep in previous 24 hours I was not on my game but should have caught flight directors. I let automation surprise me and got complacent going into a known field.Flying approximately once every two to three weeks on reserve since January I just feel comfortable in plane again before sitting for another few weeks. I therefore have flown mostly ILS and rarely hand fly visuals. After little sleep [the] previous day and flying all night I should have chosen to take ILS rather than short vectors for a visual. I need to fly more visuals at more appropriate times to become comfortable with them.
A fatigued Airbus First Officer attempted a hand flown visual approach to PHL Runway 27R; but was forced to execute a go-around after failing to turn the flight directors off. Autothrust advanced power on the approach which also resulted in a flaps overspeed.