On a localizer approach, which methods determine when to go missed?

• A. DME or Time
• B. Altitude at capture
• C. ATC instruction only
• D. Visual reference

Answer: (A)

The thing being tested is where you actually decide to go around on a localizer approach. That decision point is fixed by the missed approach point (MAP) defined in the approach procedure. The MAP isn’t based on climbing altitude or instructions you receive after you’re established; it’s the designated location where, if you don’t have the runway environment and required visual references, you must execute a go-around.

Two practical ways the MAP is defined on a localizer approach: a specific distance from the navigation aid (DME) or a set amount of time from a final approach point. If the plate specifies a DME value, you reach that distance and must determine if you can land or go around. If it specifies time, you monitor elapsed time from the final approach fix and use that moment as the MAP. These methods give you a precise, procedure-driven trigger for going missed.

ATC instructions can tell you to maneuver or hold, but they don’t replace the published MAP as the official go-around point. Visual references matter for deciding whether you can continue to land after you reach the MAP (you may land if you have the required visual cues), but they do not define when the go-around must be started.