Date: 201905
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class C ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Tower ZZZ
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: Weather; Procedure; Human Factors; Airport
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Winds went from relatively light to moderate and gusty while we were inbound to ZZZ. Approach informed us Runway XX was now in use and we could take the visual if we would like. I already knew we didn't have the numbers for flaps 22 on Runway XY; and we would have broken the flaps 45 limitation with the new approach speed. I ran the numbers for flaps 22 on Runway XX and they worked. I quickly set up a PVOR for the runway; and briefed up that it was a visual approach with no guidance; that there was mountainous terrain that we had a visual on and knew highest tops where we would be flying near to be just over 3;000 ft. The FO (First Officer) was flying; and overshot final. Tower gave us a low altitude alert. We still had visual clearance on the mountain. The FO briefed he was still high but would shallow out his descent until he corrected back. We then got the GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System) 'pull up'. We were still visual and appeared to be clear; and I called for max thrust and a go-around. Tower instructed us to fly the published missed. I told tower there was no published missed and they gave us runway heading and 5;000 ft. I asked the FO if he felt comfortable doing it again; and to be careful not to overshoot final. He agreed. He briefed that he would stay higher longer. The next approach went well; and we had briefed due to staying higher a higher than normal descent rate would be required. We got the 'sink rate' but were still well above where a final approach fix typically would be; and had adequate terrain clearance; so we continued. After this first one; he was almost on the normal glidepath; but got another 'sink rate'; so I called for a go-around. I decided I would take the next attempt. I made a normal visual approach to landing with no deviations and no issues. A late runway change with challenging terrain and a difficult vantage point to make left traffic from the right seat. The FO made slight errors to the visual approach; but did fine following the escape/go-around procedures. In the future when this runway is in use I'll probably just fly the approach myself; or have the FO brief a game plan detailing exactly how they will fly the approach.




Synopsis: EMB-145 Captain reported encountering an unstabilized approach which resulted in a go-around.