Narrative:

On approach to mexico city we were cleared for the ILS runway 5R. When we first checked in with tower at 2000 ft AGL, we were told to continue. At 1000 ft AGL, we were cleared to land. At 700 ft AGL we noticed a B-737 taxiing onto the extended threshold for runway 05R. The B-737 appeared to be taking off. We were about to call missed approach when the tower told us to go around. At 400 ft AGL, we executed a go around and were vectored back around for another ILS to runway 05R. We shot the approach and made a normal landing. Factors: communication were very poor as a result of spanish accents on english words. We did not know if the other aircraft was cleared into position or cleared for takeoff because the other aircrew was spanish speaking and the tower and the B-737 were using spanish. Had they been using english we would have heard any conflicting clearance given to the B-737. Human factors were poor controling by mexico city tower and/or poor airmanship by the B-737 crew. The tower controller gave us very poor go around instructions. He said, 'go around turn left.' no heading altitude or navigation instructions were given.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT TAKES ACTIVE RWY IN FRONT OF LNDG ACR 2 MI OUT REQUIRING THE LNDG ACR TO GAR.

Narrative: ON APCH TO MEXICO CITY WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 5R. WHEN WE FIRST CHKED IN WITH TWR AT 2000 FT AGL, WE WERE TOLD TO CONTINUE. AT 1000 FT AGL, WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. AT 700 FT AGL WE NOTICED A B-737 TAXIING ONTO THE EXTENDED THRESHOLD FOR RWY 05R. THE B-737 APPEARED TO BE TAKING OFF. WE WERE ABOUT TO CALL MISSED APCH WHEN THE TWR TOLD US TO GAR. AT 400 FT AGL, WE EXECUTED A GAR AND WERE VECTORED BACK AROUND FOR ANOTHER ILS TO RWY 05R. WE SHOT THE APCH AND MADE A NORMAL LNDG. FACTORS: COM WERE VERY POOR AS A RESULT OF SPANISH ACCENTS ON ENGLISH WORDS. WE DID NOT KNOW IF THE OTHER ACFT WAS CLRED INTO POS OR CLRED FOR TKOF BECAUSE THE OTHER AIRCREW WAS SPANISH SPEAKING AND THE TWR AND THE B-737 WERE USING SPANISH. HAD THEY BEEN USING ENGLISH WE WOULD HAVE HEARD ANY CONFLICTING CLRNC GIVEN TO THE B-737. HUMAN FACTORS WERE POOR CTLING BY MEXICO CITY TWR AND/OR POOR AIRMANSHIP BY THE B-737 CREW. THE TWR CTLR GAVE US VERY POOR GAR INSTRUCTIONS. HE SAID, 'GAR TURN L.' NO HDG ALT OR NAV INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN.

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.