WHat do you think happened here? Wheels down then go back up 2x?
Could be anything. I’ve had that happen on my National Airlines (ROK) flight to LAX back in 2000. First go-around was because the preceding traffic missed the taxiway they were supposed to turn off on, so around we went. Back up to 3000, trip around the Palos Verdes Peninsula, east to Seal Beach, back north, and turn to final.
Second time, a China Airlines B744 was crossing downfield, and didn’t clear the runway. Go-around #2. ROK’s gates were at T7, so landing on the north side would have meant a long taxi, and it was already full of the SWA B733s on final. Third time, we made it down.
My point: anything could cause a go-around: weather phenomena (wind shear, microburst, etc.), traffic alerts, coming in too high on a visual approach, etc… But this is common and happens all the time. Pilots are trained for that; a go-around basically would be a low approach, with landing gear down. at DA, or ATC’s call, throttle up, pitch up, wheels up, climb. It only becomes a problem if in the time that the go-around(s) are done, if a pilot declares an emergency due to low fuel. But that’s PIC’s call.
BL.