Date: 201407
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: DCA.Airport, DC
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: Regional Jet 900 (CRJ900)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class B DCA
ATC / advisory: Tower DCA
Aircraft component: Spoiler System
Component problem: Improperly Operated
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface; Confusion; Training / Qualification
Second reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; First Officer
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Contributing factors: Airport; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Airport

Narrative: Entered the DCA River Visual Runway 19 at 3;000 feet and 10 NM out. I Added spoilers periodically to slow for flap adjustments and aid the descent. The Aircraft was fully configured at 2;000 feet and we maneuvered down the river crossing all the visual check points at the recommended altitudes on the Jepp Chart. In the last turn down the river I could not make out the runway and asked the First Officer (FO) if he saw it. He couldn't make it out either. I then asked him to call the Tower to brighten the lights on Runway 19; but we were still on Potomac Approach; who quickly switched us to DCA Tower. At the last visual check point I turned southbound toward where I thought Runway 19 should have been according to the Jepp Plate but we were looking at a 'black hole' at about 500 feet. In all the confusion we got a spoiler caution light as we neared 300 feet. Just then; the FO and I finally saw the two bar VASI for Runway 19; but we were at too great an angle to make a safe landing. Combined with the spoiler warning a second earlier; the angle of bank that would be needed to complete the landing; and a firm insistence from the FO; I went around. The FO quickly cleaned up the aircraft; called ATC for a go-around and we made our way to 3;000 feet and set up for another approach. Though the runway was still not visible; we at least knew where to aim the aircraft the second time around; and made a safe; stable landing. I have completed at least 3 dozen DCA 'River Visuals' as a Captain on the Q400 while working here and a few as a First Officer at a previous carrier on the CRJ 200 but never before at night; the lighting on Runway 19 is terrible and wattage needs to be increased. Perhaps a curved lead-in light system such as the one used on Runway 13 L/R [at JFK] would be helpful. Perhaps training for the 19 River Visual in night VMC conditions in our simulators during initial training and/or LOFTS would be more helpful.


Second narrative: ...we were fully configured more the 15 miles out and following the reference altitudes of the approach chart; normal approach...around 500 feet on final I still couldn't identify the runway or proper visual guidance of the runway...I was looking outside most of the time looking for the runway. At about one mile final I saw the runway and I pointed [it out] to the Captain and as he turned toward the runway we got the GPWS Bank Angle warning. At that point we were unable to make a stable landing so I called for a go-around. As we executed the go-around; I looked inside to confirm TO/GA power and noticed that the flight spoilers were fully deployed and I retracted them. I don't know at what point he deployed the flight spoilers. ATC vectored us back again for the visual which we completed successfully.This airport has poor lighting at night and you can get confused between Runway 19 and Runway 15 when they have the PAPIS for Runway 15 on. We would be less susceptible to confusion if they had them off and increased the intensity of the Runway 19 lighting.


Synopsis: A CRJ-900 flight crew flying the River Visual Approach to Runway 19 at DCA at night was unable to pick up the runway environment in a timely fashion and executed a go-around. A subsequent approach was successful. Inadequate runway light intensity was cited as a contributing factor.