14.3 Missed Approach Procedures & Rejected Landings

Missed Approach Procedures & Rejected Landings

Quick Answer: A missed approach is mandatory whenever: (1) Required visual references are not acquired at the Decision Altitude (DA) or Missed Approach Point (MAP), (2) Visual contact is lost during a circling maneuver or descent below MDA, (3) The approach becomes unstabilized, or (4) ATC instructs a go-around. The cockpit execution workflow follows the 4 Cs: Cram (full power), Climb (pitch for positive rate/Vy), Clean (flaps to takeoff/approach setting, gear up), and Click (press GPS UNSUSP / activate missed approach). Crucial Rule: If going missed prior to reaching the MAP, immediately climb to the missed approach altitude while flying along the published approach course TO the MAP before turning. Turning early violates TERPS obstacle clearance and risks terrain impact!

An instrument approach is never a guarantee of landing; it is an orderly procedure to bring an aircraft to a specific point in space where a safe landing can either be confirmed visually or aborted. A missed approach is not an emergency or a failure—it is a pre-planned, highly structured safety maneuver.

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Mandatory Triggers for Executing a Missed Approach

Under 14 CFR § 91.175 and FAA Instrument Procedures handbook guidance, a pilot must immediately execute the published missed approach procedure upon the occurrence of any of the following triggers:

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|                        MISSED APPROACH EXECUTION TRIGGERS                               |
|                                                                                         |
|  1. Reaching DA/DH or MAP:                                                              |
|     • The aircraft arrives at Decision Altitude (DA) or the Missed Approach Point (MAP) |
|       and the required visual references under § 91.175(c) are not distinctly visible.  |
|                                                                                         |
|  2. Loss of Visual References:                                                          |
|     • Visual references are lost after descending below DA or MDA (e.g., flying into    |
|       a fog bank during the visual flare or losing runway contact while circling).      |
|                                                                                         |
|  3. Unstabilized Approach Profile:                                                      |
|     • Aircraft is high, fast, out of lateral alignment, or experiencing excessive sink  |
|       rates that prevent a normal touchdown within the touchdown zone.                  |
|                                                                                         |
|  4. Air Traffic Control Directive:                                                      |
|     • ATC issues an explicit instruction: "Go around" or "Execute missed approach."   |
|                                                                                         |
|  5. Runway Hazards:                                                                     |
|     • An obstacle, vehicle, aircraft, or wildlife is observed obstructing the runway.   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

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The "4 Cs" Cockpit Execution Workflow

Executing a missed approach requires rapid, coordinated physical and mental actions. To maintain aircraft control and avoid task saturation, pilots utilize the standardized "4 Cs" (or 5 Cs) workflow:

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|                           THE 4 Cs MISSED APPROACH WORKFLOW                             |
|                                                                                         |
|   [ CRAM ]       ──► Advance throttle/power levers smoothly to full takeoff/go-around   |
|                      power. Check manifold pressure / RPM / fuel flow.                  |
|                                                                                         |
|   [ CLIMB ]      ──► Pitch up smoothly to go-around attitude (7°–10° nose up).          |
|                      Establish Vy or Vx; verify positive rate of climb on VSI/altimeter.|
|                                                                                         |
|   [ CLEAN ]      ──► Retract flaps incrementally to intermediate/takeoff setting.       |
|                      Retract landing gear once positive rate of climb is established.   |
|                                                                                         |
|   [ CLICK ]      ──► Press GPS 'UNSUSP' / 'Go-Around' button to resume waypoint         |
|                      sequencing; set flight director and autopilot modes.               |
|                                                                                         |
|   [ COMMUNICATE] ──► Advise ATC when workload permits:                                  |
|                      "Approach, Cessna 172SP going missed Runway 28, climbing to 3,000"|
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Step-by-Step Breakdown:

1. Cram (Power): Apply full allowable engine power immediately. In high-performance turbocharged or multi-engine aircraft, verify maximum manifold pressure and mixture settings to avoid engine surge or detonation.
2. Climb (Pitch): Rotate toward the target go-around pitch attitude to halt descent. Do not over-rotate; maintain published climb speed ($V_Y$ or $V_X$).
3. Clean (Configuration):
   • Flaps First (in stages): Retract full landing flaps to intermediate climb setting (e.g., $30^\circ \rightarrow 20^\circ$ or $10^\circ$) to eliminate parasite drag while preserving lift.
   • Gear Second: Once the altimeter and vertical speed indicator (VSI) confirm a positive rate of climb, cycle the landing gear handle to UP.
4. Click (Avionics / Navigation):
   • Modern IFR GPS navigators (e.g., Garmin GTN 650/750, G1000) automatically suspend waypoint sequencing upon reaching the MAP (SUSP annunciator illuminated).
   • The pilot must press the UNSUSP softkey or GPS Go-Around (GA) button to activate the missed approach holding fix and guidance sequence.
5. Communicate (ATC Contact): Transmitting over the radio is the last priority (Aviate, Navigate, Communicate). Only speak to ATC after the aircraft is climbing, configured, and on course.

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The Early Missed Approach Rule: Tracking to the MAP

A critical question on FAA Instrument Rating exams and practical tests is: What must a pilot do if a missed approach is initiated BEFORE reaching the Missed Approach Point?

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|                        THE EARLY MISSED APPROACH RULE (TERPS)                           |
|                                                                                         |
|   Situation: Pilot initiates go-around 2 NM prior to reaching published MAP.            |
|                                                                                         |
|   1. VERTICAL ACTION:                                                                   |
|      • Immediately CLIMB to the published missed approach altitude.                     |
|                                                                                         |
|   2. LATERAL ACTION:                                                                    |
|      • Continue flying along the published approach course STRAIGHT TO THE MAP.         |
|      • DO NOT INITIATE ANY TURNS BEFORE REACHING THE MAP!                               |
|                                                                                         |
|   3. AT OR BEYOND THE MAP:                                                              |
|      • Initiate published turns toward the missed approach holding fix.                 |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Why You Must Fly to the MAP Before Turning

• Procedure designers evaluate obstacle clearance for the final approach segment along a narrow, protected corridor designed for descending straight-in flight.
• The Missed Approach Obstacle Clearance Surface (40:1 slope / 152 ft/NM) begins at or beyond the MAP.
• If an aircraft initiates a turn early (prior to the MAP), it turns into surrounding terrain sectors that were never surveyed for climbing aircraft, risking a catastrophic CFIT collision with hills, cell towers, or high structures!

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                     DANGER OF TURNING EARLY BEFORE THE MAP                              |
|                                                                                         |
|                       Published Final Approach Track                                    |
|   ───────────────────────────────────────────────────► [ MAP ] ────┐                    |
|             ▲                                                      │ Turn at MAP        |
|            /                                                       │ (Protected TERPS)  |
|           / ◄── EARLY TURN PATH (PROHIBITED!)                      ▼                    |
|          /                                                [ Holding Fix ]               |
|         ▼                                                                               |
|     ▲▲▲ TERRAIN / OBSTACLE HAZARD ▲▲▲                                                   |
|     (Unsurveyed for climbing turns!)                                                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

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TERPS Missed Approach Obstacle Clearance & Climb Gradients

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                 TERPS MISSED APPROACH CLIMB GRADIENT BASELINE                           |
|                                                                                         |
|  Standard Climb Gradient: 200 ft/NM (approx. 3.3% / 30:1 slope)                         |
|  Obstacle Identification Surface (OIS): 40:1 ratio = 152 ft/NM                          |
|  Required Obstacle Clearance (ROC): 48 ft/NM (24% of climb gradient)                    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

• Standard Baseline: Unless otherwise published, all missed approach procedures assume a minimum climb gradient of 200 feet per nautical mile (ft/NM).
• Non-Standard Missed Approach Gradients: When high terrain or obstacles penetrate the 40:1 OIS in the missed approach corridor, the FAA publishes a non-standard climb gradient requirement on the approach plate (e.g., "Missed approach requires minimum climb of 360 ft/NM to 5,200 ft").
• Climb Rate Calculation: $\text{Climb Rate (FPM)} = \left(\frac{\text{Groundspeed}}{60}\right) \times \text{Climb Gradient (ft/NM)}$
• If an aircraft cannot meet the published climb gradient (e.g., following an engine failure in a twin-engine aircraft), the pilot must plan for higher approach minimums or select an alternate approach.

Rejected Landings & Balked Landings in IMC

A balked landing (or rejected landing) occurs when a go-around is initiated at extremely low altitude—during the roundout, flare, or after momentary touchdown on the runway surface.

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|                        AERODYNAMICS OF LOW-ALTITUDE BALKED LANDINGS                     |
|                                                                                         |
|  1. Configuration Drag:                                                                 |
|     • Full flaps and extended gear generate massive drag at low airspeed.               |
|     • Retracting flaps ALL AT ONCE causes a dangerous loss of lift and sink back to     |
|       the runway. Retract flaps in careful stages according to POH!                     |
|                                                                                         |
|  2. Left-Turning Tendencies at High Power:                                              |
|     • P-Factor, torque, slipstream, and gyroscopic precession pull the nose sharply     |
|       left and up when full power is applied at low airspeed. Right rudder is vital!    |
|                                                                                         |
|  3. Pitch Trim Forces:                                                                  |
|     • Aircraft trimmed for full-flap approach will pitch up violently when full power   |
|       is applied. The pilot must apply strong forward yoke pressure to avoid stalling.  |
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Spatial Disorientation & The Somatogravic Illusion

• When initiating a high-power go-around in zero-visibility conditions (IMC), rapid forward acceleration acts on the otolith organs (utricle) of the inner ear.
• The Somatogravic Illusion: The brain interprets forward linear acceleration as a false sensation of a steep pitch-up attitude.
• The Fatal Mistake: If the pilot trusts their physiological senses instead of the flight instruments, they will push the nose down into the ground, leading to a high-speed CFIT impact.
• The Antidote: Immediately transition to an aggressive instrument cross-check (Attitude Indicator, Airspeed Indicator, Altimeter, VSI) and maintain the commanded pitch attitude until safely climbing at altitude.