Traffic conflict between arrival and departing commuter aircraft at esf, la.

Attributes
ACN	141015
Time
Date	199003
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : esf
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 1300
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : hou tower : dal
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 2900
ASRS Report	141015
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

About the time hou ARTCC cleared us for an ILS runway 26 approach to esf, we heard a flight Y taxiing to runway 8 call hou for his clearance to lafayette, la. Center told the flight Y to expect clearance shortly because he had an IFR inbound for ILS runway 26 (us X) and that we would be landing in about 4 min. We encountered several layers of patchy clouds on the approach. The approach lights came into and out of view several times on the approach. We heard the aircraft Y ask center how far out we were. After center's reply we told the aircraft Y we would cancel as soon as we got VFR (VMC). We were IMC at that time. We broke out of the patchy clouds at 1300' MSL. In a few seconds we were able to spot the approach lights and runway. At that time I spotted aircraft Y on the runway taking off toward us. I estimated that we were about two mi to the runway. I felt we were going to come too close for comfort so I immediately broke off the ILS approach and turned to the left as we were in VFR conditions. Back tracking a little bit, at the time aircraft Y asked center how far out we were were, he told them we were about 4 mi from him. Aircraft Y said to center 'we are going to depart VFR'. We were IMC at the time and I became concerned as he was departing VFR and we were still IMC and inside the marker. I feel that was very bad judgement on aircraft Y's part to depart VFR into oncoming IFR traffic on approach, causing us to have to go around. We could tell by the center controller's voice he was very concerned about the situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRAFFIC CONFLICT BETWEEN ARR AND DEPARTING COMMUTER ACFT AT ESF, LA.

Narrative: ABOUT THE TIME HOU ARTCC CLRED US FOR AN ILS RWY 26 APCH TO ESF, WE HEARD A FLT Y TAXIING TO RWY 8 CALL HOU FOR HIS CLRNC TO LAFAYETTE, LA. CENTER TOLD THE FLT Y TO EXPECT CLRNC SHORTLY BECAUSE HE HAD AN IFR INBND FOR ILS RWY 26 (US X) AND THAT WE WOULD BE LNDG IN ABOUT 4 MIN. WE ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL LAYERS OF PATCHY CLOUDS ON THE APCH. THE APCH LIGHTS CAME INTO AND OUT OF VIEW SEVERAL TIMES ON THE APCH. WE HEARD THE ACFT Y ASK CENTER HOW FAR OUT WE WERE. AFTER CENTER'S REPLY WE TOLD THE ACFT Y WE WOULD CANCEL AS SOON AS WE GOT VFR (VMC). WE WERE IMC AT THAT TIME. WE BROKE OUT OF THE PATCHY CLOUDS AT 1300' MSL. IN A FEW SECS WE WERE ABLE TO SPOT THE APCH LIGHTS AND RWY. AT THAT TIME I SPOTTED ACFT Y ON THE RWY TAKING OFF TOWARD US. I ESTIMATED THAT WE WERE ABOUT TWO MI TO THE RWY. I FELT WE WERE GOING TO COME TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT SO I IMMEDIATELY BROKE OFF THE ILS APCH AND TURNED TO THE L AS WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS. BACK TRACKING A LITTLE BIT, AT THE TIME ACFT Y ASKED CENTER HOW FAR OUT WE WERE WERE, HE TOLD THEM WE WERE ABOUT 4 MI FROM HIM. ACFT Y SAID TO CENTER 'WE ARE GOING TO DEPART VFR'. WE WERE IMC AT THE TIME AND I BECAME CONCERNED AS HE WAS DEPARTING VFR AND WE WERE STILL IMC AND INSIDE THE MARKER. I FEEL THAT WAS VERY BAD JUDGEMENT ON ACFT Y'S PART TO DEPART VFR INTO ONCOMING IFR TFC ON APCH, CAUSING US TO HAVE TO GO AROUND. WE COULD TELL BY THE CENTER CTLR'S VOICE HE WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SITUATION.

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.