Air Carrier flight crew reported an unstabilized approach and descent below glide slope during visual approach. The flight crew corrected the glide path and continued to landing.

Date: 2024-10 · Aircraft: B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model · Phase: approach

Anomalies: conflict-ground-conflict|less-severe|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|inflight-event-encounter-cftt-cfit|inflight-event-encounter-unstabilized-approach

Synopsis

Air Carrier flight crew reported an unstabilized approach and descent below glide slope during visual approach. The flight crew corrected the glide path and continued to landing.

Narrative

Coming in on the tiptoe visual [Runway] XXL everything was picture perfect. Preceding traffic 3 miles ahead on the parallel landed. Due to close conditions of the runways Tower called a go around due to congestion. A soft go around was performed nicely. As we were handed from controller to controller the aircraft was cleaned and automation re engaged. I asked Approach Control which approach we should set up for and was told to stand by. Eventually next controller told us visual to XXL. We were turned in and to descend from 4000 to 3000'; and this point I apparently had a stuck mic. I was eventually able to clear the mic and we were told we missed a turn call; then cleared to turn and intercept the localizer (had been told to expect the visual). At this point the FO turned off the automation and began to try and slow and descend. He's a probationary pilot so still becoming familiar with the 737; and fell behind the envelope. We got high on glide slope and as he cut power to regain glide path; we descended through glide path. I called getting too low and he tried to add throttle; but to slowly not accounting for spool delay. Eventually arrested the decent at approximately 700' but not before we got the aircraft glide slope warning and a call from Tower with altitude alert. The path was being recovered as the warning was issued and flight path returned to normal. In all the activity of getting the aircraft under control and catching up after stuck mic issue the landing checklist was not completed. Aircraft was configured except for arming the speed break; which deployed on touchdown. An uneventful landing was conducted and taxied to the gate.

Second reporter narrative

Coming into ZZZ last night we were initially cleared for the Tip Toe visual to [Runway] XXL; RNAV. On final the Tower issued a go around; due to possible conflict of the aircraft on short final for XXR potentially crossing XXL after landing and being on our cleared runway during our touchdown. After going around we climbed to 5000'; as instructed by Departure and after asking what approach we could expect were given vectors to downwind for a visual approach back to XXL. We reset the FMC for the RNAV XXL. Approach Control descended us to 3000'; and then gave us a turn to intercept the localizer. The Captain was able to get the localizer frequency in the box and I commanded VOR/LOC. Prior to the turn the aircraft was configured with 5 degrees of flaps and 210 knots. Shortly after the turn to intercept we were cleared for a visual to XXL. Unfortunately by this time we were above the PAPIs. I called for the gear; and for flaps 10; 15; 25; and 30 respectively to speed; also closing the thrust levers to idle. Descending about 1500 feet per min; we begin descending for the 3 degree glide path indicated by the PAPIs. Due to the thrust levers at idle and the slow spool up time to appropriate engine power I descended below the 3 degrees glide path getting an altitude alert from Tower to check altitude. As the engines power increased; I was able to arrest the descent; getting back on path and continued for a non-eventful landing.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.