Narrative:

This incident occurred while conducting an ILS DME 27 approach under VMC conditions at bos airport. We had been cleared for the approach to maintain 180 KTS to the final fix, ripit, but due to heavy frequency congestion, were not handed off to tower by approach control at ripit. We configured for landing at ripit and switched to tower about 5 mi from the runway on our own. The tower advised us to slow to minimum approach speed to allow a takeoff on runway 22L. Tower cleared the aircraft into position to be ready for immediate takeoff. We informed tower that we were at minimum speed already. Tower gave other aircraft takeoff clearance. Tower then issued immediate takeoff clearance to aircraft on runway 22L and advised us to be prepared for a go around. She seemed to not be fully in control of her duties and hesitant about instructions to both our flight and other aircraft. The first officer and so began looking in vain for the aircraft on takeoff roll as I flew the aircraft. Since runway 27 crosses runway 22L I felt that a conflict would exist should the aircraft on runway 22L abort during our landing roll. We executed a go around at about 300 ft AGL at which time I observed that the other aircraft had become airborne. Since standard departure procedures require aircraft departing runways 22L/right to turn left to a heading of 140 degrees immediately after takeoff and the IMC missed approach for runway 27 requires a left turn to intercept the 154 degree radial of bos VOR, I elected to pass behind and to the right of the departing aircraft to avoid an in-flight conflict with both aircraft in left turns headed in the same direction. Tower gave us a northwest heading and an altitude for resequencing back to runway 27. In my opinion, takeoff clearance to other aircraft should not be issued when other aircraft are on short final to crossing runways. The workload of my crew was such that we could not safely complete cockpit checklists and look for departing traffic on crossing runways at the same time. Our only solution was to execute a go around rather than place our aircraft on a collision course with departing traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF WDB ACR ACFT MADE GAR TO ASSURE SEPARATION WITH A DEPARTING ACFT ON A 'CROSS RWY' DUE TO THE TWR RELEASING THE OTHER ACFT FOR TKOF WHEN THE RPTING ACFT WAS ON SHORT FINAL.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE CONDUCTING AN ILS DME 27 APCH UNDER VMC CONDITIONS AT BOS ARPT. WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR THE APCH TO MAINTAIN 180 KTS TO THE FINAL FIX, RIPIT, BUT DUE TO HVY FREQ CONGESTION, WERE NOT HANDED OFF TO TWR BY APCH CTL AT RIPIT. WE CONFIGURED FOR LNDG AT RIPIT AND SWITCHED TO TWR ABOUT 5 MI FROM THE RWY ON OUR OWN. THE TWR ADVISED US TO SLOW TO MINIMUM APCH SPD TO ALLOW A TKOF ON RWY 22L. TWR CLRED THE ACFT INTO POS TO BE READY FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF. WE INFORMED TWR THAT WE WERE AT MINIMUM SPD ALREADY. TWR GAVE OTHER ACFT TKOF CLRNC. TWR THEN ISSUED IMMEDIATE TKOF CLRNC TO ACFT ON RWY 22L AND ADVISED US TO BE PREPARED FOR A GAR. SHE SEEMED TO NOT BE FULLY IN CTL OF HER DUTIES AND HESITANT ABOUT INSTRUCTIONS TO BOTH OUR FLT AND OTHER ACFT. THE FO AND SO BEGAN LOOKING IN VAIN FOR THE ACFT ON TKOF ROLL AS I FLEW THE ACFT. SINCE RWY 27 CROSSES RWY 22L I FELT THAT A CONFLICT WOULD EXIST SHOULD THE ACFT ON RWY 22L ABORT DURING OUR LNDG ROLL. WE EXECUTED A GAR AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL AT WHICH TIME I OBSERVED THAT THE OTHER ACFT HAD BECOME AIRBORNE. SINCE STANDARD DEP PROCS REQUIRE ACFT DEPARTING RWYS 22L/R TO TURN L TO A HDG OF 140 DEGS IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF AND THE IMC MISSED APCH FOR RWY 27 REQUIRES A L TURN TO INTERCEPT THE 154 DEG RADIAL OF BOS VOR, I ELECTED TO PASS BEHIND AND TO THE R OF THE DEPARTING ACFT TO AVOID AN INFLT CONFLICT WITH BOTH ACFT IN L TURNS HEADED IN THE SAME DIRECTION. TWR GAVE US A NW HDG AND AN ALT FOR RESEQUENCING BACK TO RWY 27. IN MY OPINION, TKOF CLRNC TO OTHER ACFT SHOULD NOT BE ISSUED WHEN OTHER ACFT ARE ON SHORT FINAL TO XING RWYS. THE WORKLOAD OF MY CREW WAS SUCH THAT WE COULD NOT SAFELY COMPLETE COCKPIT CHKLISTS AND LOOK FOR DEPARTING TFC ON XING RWYS AT THE SAME TIME. OUR ONLY SOLUTION WAS TO EXECUTE A GAR RATHER THAN PLACE OUR ACFT ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH DEPARTING TFC.

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.