Which description best defines a missed approach?

• A. A routine procedure to continue the approach to a landing.
• B. A hold at the final approach fix used for weather avoidance.
• C. A maneuver conducted by a pilot when an instrument approach cannot be completed to a landing.
• D. A procedure to cancel the instrument approach if instruments fail.

Answer: (C)

When you can’t complete an instrument approach to a landing, you execute a missed approach. This is a defined maneuver that you follow to transition from the approach to a safe re-positioning for another attempt or a landing at another airport. It is typically initiated at the decision altitude or minimums if the runway environment or required visual references have not been established. The procedure calls for a controlled climb, usually with an initial turn as specified, and then following the published missed-approach route to a safe altitude, where you may enter a holding pattern or proceed to another approach or alternate airport.

This differs from simply continuing the approach to land, which would be inappropriate if you don’t have the runway in sight or the required references. It also isn’t a weather-avoidance hold at the final approach fix, which is a separate procedure used for weather considerations. And it isn’t a cancellation due to instrument failure, which is a different scenario that would involve appropriate standards and actions for that failure.