Air carrier X held on ground in position on runway for wake turbulence.

Attributes
ACN	194785
Time
Date	199111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : holding
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	194785
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Widebody transport was made to go around at least 1 1/2 mi from the approach end of runway 12R at an altitude of 2500 ft MSL. Widebody transport was turned approximately 30 degrees right off runway heading and never even approached the area, let alone the runway. Tower informed air carrier X we could not takeoff because of wake turbulence required separation. Widebody transport was never closer than 1 mi nor lower than 2500 ft MSL in relation to the runway environment and not near air carrier X departure path. The system breaks down and people begin to lose the ability to make a rational decision when too many rules are allowed to overburden the process. This was a clear example of where air carrier X was held up for no logical reason. Air carrier X was later cleared for takeoff after an medium large transport landing which created far more wake turbulence than the non existent air carrier X. Even our saying we would wave the wake turbulence separation requirement did no good. Tower said we could not wave it. Clearly we have a breakdown of the system. It was a magnified example of how some airports are managed by non decision makers who cause serious problems, slow traffic, and could cause an accident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HELD ON GND IN POS ON RWY FOR WAKE TURB.

Narrative: WDB WAS MADE TO GAR AT LEAST 1 1/2 MI FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 12R AT AN ALT OF 2500 FT MSL. WDB WAS TURNED APPROX 30 DEGS R OFF RWY HDG AND NEVER EVEN APCHED THE AREA, LET ALONE THE RWY. TWR INFORMED ACR X WE COULD NOT TKOF BECAUSE OF WAKE TURB REQUIRED SEPARATION. WDB WAS NEVER CLOSER THAN 1 MI NOR LOWER THAN 2500 FT MSL IN RELATION TO THE RWY ENVIRONMENT AND NOT NEAR ACR X DEP PATH. THE SYS BREAKS DOWN AND PEOPLE BEGIN TO LOSE THE ABILITY TO MAKE A RATIONAL DECISION WHEN TOO MANY RULES ARE ALLOWED TO OVERBURDEN THE PROCESS. THIS WAS A CLR EXAMPLE OF WHERE ACR X WAS HELD UP FOR NO LOGICAL REASON. ACR X WAS LATER CLRED FOR TKOF AFTER AN MLG LNDG WHICH CREATED FAR MORE WAKE TURB THAN THE NON EXISTENT ACR X. EVEN OUR SAYING WE WOULD WAVE THE WAKE TURB SEPARATION REQUIREMENT DID NO GOOD. TWR SAID WE COULD NOT WAVE IT. CLRLY WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF THE SYS. IT WAS A MAGNIFIED EXAMPLE OF HOW SOME ARPTS ARE MANAGED BY NON DECISION MAKERS WHO CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS, SLOW TFC, AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

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.