Narrative:

Air carrier X on final for runway 31 at lga. We had previously been cleared to land shortly after initial contact with tower, passing dials intersection. VMC conditions and winds out of the northwest at 18 KTS. I was focused on the 3 bar VASI and on speed and GS. I crosschecked my altitude at around 350 ft. At approximately 100 ft, I noticed an airline on the runway, in position and holding. I immediately executed a go around, passing approximately 50 ft over the holding aircraft. Approximately 4-6 seconds later, tower instructed us to go around. After returning to the airport and completing a full stop landing, I questioned tower as to what had happened. The controller admitted fault, acknowledging that he had cleared the other aircraft, challenger 601, on to hold after giving us landing clearance. It is of note that I was completely focused on the VASI's and runway throughout the entire approach and didn't see the other aircraft until 100 ft. Also, my copilot never saw the other aircraft until after I had initiated the go around and I had called his attention to the situation. Despite his beacon and nose gear lights on, he was virtually invisible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X ON APCH HAD LTSS WITH ACR Y HOLDING IN POS. NMAC. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X ON FINAL FOR RWY 31 AT LGA. WE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CLRED TO LAND SHORTLY AFTER INITIAL CONTACT WITH TWR, PASSING DIALS INTXN. VMC CONDITIONS AND WINDS OUT OF THE NW AT 18 KTS. I WAS FOCUSED ON THE 3 BAR VASI AND ON SPD AND GS. I XCHKED MY ALT AT AROUND 350 FT. AT APPROX 100 FT, I NOTICED AN AIRLINE ON THE RWY, IN POS AND HOLDING. I IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A GAR, PASSING APPROX 50 FT OVER THE HOLDING ACFT. APPROX 4-6 SECONDS LATER, TWR INSTRUCTED US TO GAR. AFTER RETURNING TO THE ARPT AND COMPLETING A FULL STOP LNDG, I QUESTIONED TWR AS TO WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THE CTLR ADMITTED FAULT, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT HE HAD CLRED THE OTHER ACFT, CHALLENGER 601, ON TO HOLD AFTER GIVING US LNDG CLRNC. IT IS OF NOTE THAT I WAS COMPLETELY FOCUSED ON THE VASI'S AND RWY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE APCH AND DIDN'T SEE THE OTHER ACFT UNTIL 100 FT. ALSO, MY COPLT NEVER SAW THE OTHER ACFT UNTIL AFTER I HAD INITIATED THE GAR AND I HAD CALLED HIS ATTN TO THE SIT. DESPITE HIS BEACON AND NOSE GEAR LIGHTS ON, HE WAS VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE.

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.