37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 1677386 |
Time | |
Date | 201908 |
Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
State Reference | US |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Make Model Name | B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
Flight Phase | Final Approach Descent |
Flight Plan | IFR |
Aircraft 2 | |
Make Model Name | B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 129 |
Flight Phase | Final Approach Descent |
Flight Plan | IFR |
Person 1 | |
Function | Captain Pilot Not Flying |
Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument |
Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 231 Flight Crew Total 14437 Flight Crew Type 638 |
Events | |
Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue |
Narrative:
We were on the RNAV arrival. We had just passed a fix on a 140 track. ATC had cleared us to descend to 6;000 feet from 11;000 feet he then changed the clearance to 9;000 feet. We were behind an [airline X] flight. Approach turned us to a 200 heading. We could see a B747 at approximately 13;000 feet. The controller turned us more right. It became clear that the controller was going to make us follow the B747. We could also hear a [airline Y] flight behind us on the arrival at 14;000 feet. We were vectored behind both of these aircraft. Progress page was showing us landing with 21.5 at beginning of arrival. Our flight was vectored on to the approach behind [airline Z]. The controller left our speed up so we became too close. When we were on about a 3 mile final he made us go around. We went around and were heading back out to sea. I declared minimum fuel. I told the controllers we needed to land now. Our fuel was showing 14.4. They seemed to want to bring us on a long downwind. I told them again we needed to land now. They turned us to join a visual approach. We landed with 12.2.I have been flying out of this airport for over xx years. This was the most gross incompetence I have seen in that time. The air traffic controllers did not follow their own rules of first come; first serve. They did not follow their own rules of the lower aircraft had the right of way. They did not provide proper spacing as we were not told to follow the [airline Z]. They did not coordinate between controllers as with the approach controller not knowing why we went around. The next controllers did not seem to know of our fuel state. It was a sad day in ZZZ airspace that could have ended in tragedy. This was on a clear day.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B777 pilot reported they had to go around due to insufficient spacing behind a B747 and landed below their planned fuel remaining.
Narrative: We were on the RNAV Arrival. We had just passed a fix on a 140 track. ATC had cleared us to descend to 6;000 feet from 11;000 feet he then changed the clearance to 9;000 feet. We were behind an [Airline X] flight. Approach turned us to a 200 heading. We could see a B747 at approximately 13;000 feet. The Controller turned us more right. It became clear that the Controller was going to make us follow the B747. We could also hear a [Airline Y] flight behind us on the arrival at 14;000 feet. We were vectored behind both of these aircraft. Progress page was showing us landing with 21.5 at beginning of arrival. Our flight was vectored on to the approach behind [Airline Z]. The Controller left our speed up so we became too close. When we were on about a 3 mile final he made us go around. We went around and were heading back out to sea. I declared minimum fuel. I told the controllers we needed to land now. Our fuel was showing 14.4. They seemed to want to bring us on a long downwind. I told them again we needed to land now. They turned us to join a Visual Approach. We landed with 12.2.I have been flying out of this airport for over XX years. This was the most gross incompetence I have seen in that time. The Air Traffic Controllers did not follow their own rules of first come; first serve. They did not follow their own rules of the lower aircraft had the right of way. They did not provide proper spacing as we were not told to follow the [Airline Z]. They did not coordinate between controllers as with the Approach Controller not knowing why we went around. The next controllers did not seem to know of our fuel state. It was a sad day in ZZZ airspace that could have ended in tragedy. This was on a clear day.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.