Arrival aircraft made s-turns on final approach to maintain spacing behind first aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	135743
Time
Date	199002
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw tower : alb
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	135743
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12600 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Given a clearance of 'turn left to 030 degrees, maintain 3000', speed 190 KIAS, cleared for an ILS 36L approach.' we broke out just before the marker. I could see the tail lights of the aircraft in front of us. He was much too close for comfort. The first officer slowed early. The tower supervisor said to slow to 20 KTS, then said to slow to final approach speed. I said we would do s-turns. We did several turns. The aircraft landed with our DME reading 2.1. He also was slow to clear the runway. He cleared when we were 50' on the radio altitude. I almost went around, but decided it could work at 100'. It was better to land than go back into the circuit breaker's in the area. I felt the pilot flew like a light airplane driver with no awareness of the big picture. Those guys aren't used to hub airports.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARR ACFT MADE S-TURNS ON FINAL APCH TO MAINTAIN SPACING BEHIND FIRST ACFT.

Narrative: GIVEN A CLRNC OF 'TURN LEFT TO 030 DEGS, MAINTAIN 3000', SPD 190 KIAS, CLRED FOR AN ILS 36L APCH.' WE BROKE OUT JUST BEFORE THE MARKER. I COULD SEE THE TAIL LIGHTS OF THE ACFT IN FRONT OF US. HE WAS MUCH TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. THE F/O SLOWED EARLY. THE TWR SUPVR SAID TO SLOW TO 20 KTS, THEN SAID TO SLOW TO FINAL APCH SPD. I SAID WE WOULD DO S-TURNS. WE DID SEVERAL TURNS. THE ACFT LANDED WITH OUR DME READING 2.1. HE ALSO WAS SLOW TO CLR THE RWY. HE CLRED WHEN WE WERE 50' ON THE RADIO ALT. I ALMOST WENT AROUND, BUT DECIDED IT COULD WORK AT 100'. IT WAS BETTER TO LAND THAN GO BACK INTO THE CB'S IN THE AREA. I FELT THE PLT FLEW LIKE A LIGHT AIRPLANE DRIVER WITH NO AWARENESS OF THE BIG PICTURE. THOSE GUYS AREN'T USED TO HUB ARPTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.