Which scenario requires an immediate go-around?

• A. A stabilized approach cannot be established.
• B. ATC instructs a go-around.
• C. Fuel is low.
• D. The airplane is off altitude.

Answer: (A)

Stabilized approach criteria are the rule of thumb for deciding whether to continue a landing or reset. A stabilized approach means the aircraft is on the correct flight path, with the proper configuration, speed, and descent rate, so you can land safely at the target zone without last‑minute adjustments. If you can’t establish or maintain that stable condition by the prescribed point in the approach, continuing the descent increases risk of a miss, hard landing, or runway excursion. In that case, the safe action is to initiate a go-around immediately to reconfigure, regain proper energy, and reattempt the approach once you’re stabilized.

The other scenarios don’t mandate an immediate go-around by themselves. ATC instructions to go around require compliance, but the trigger for this question is instability on the approach, not mere instruction. Low fuel changes planning and may lead to a diversion or different procedures, but it doesn’t automatically force an immediate go-around. Being off altitude is unsafe and would be corrected promptly; if unresolved, it could lead to a go-around, but it isn’t the definitive trigger for an immediate go-around like an unstable approach is.