Traffic spacing same runway operation.

Attributes
ACN	296224
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-82
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure other
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 : 15000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	296224
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were cleared for the night visual approach to phoenix runway 26L and at approximately 5 DME and 1500 ft AGL, the tower controller asked us to slow to minimum final approach speed and s-turn down final to allow a B-737 departure. We complied and at approximately 1000 ft AGL we observed an aircraft rolling down the runway that we assumed to be our traffic. Instead, the controller cleared a second aircraft into position to hold while the first aircraft was taxiing clear of the runway after landing. As we continued our approach it became very clear that spacing would be marginal between us and the departing aircraft and I personally (twice) requested the controller's missed approach instructions. The controller told us to continue and while we were less than 500 ft AGL and less than 1 1/2 mi from touchdown, the controller cleared for takeoff. Several times we asked the tower controller for landing clearance and finally at 50 ft AGL and over the threshold, the controller broke his silence and said the B737 was airborne and that we were cleared to land. In darkness and that far into our landing flare, we were unable to determine if the B737 was actually airborne or if the controller was stretching the truth to make it seem legal. While in the landing flare, we were rocked violently by jet wash and we touched down in an uncontrolled fashion while rocking and buffeting from side to side, much to the discomfort of all aboard. (Aircraft winds were calm). During our roll out and in frustration, I complained to the controller that spacing was too close and please don't do that again. He responded by complementing the B737 pilots 'good job guys' and instructed me to contact them by telephone upon block in. I telephoned the supervisor and he threatened me with action to include 'pulling the tapes' and notification of the chief pilot, for my airline. I recommended that he do just that. In turn I filed an O-53 hazard report and notified my supervisors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC SPACING SAME RWY OP.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR THE NIGHT VISUAL APCH TO PHOENIX RWY 26L AND AT APPROX 5 DME AND 1500 FT AGL, THE TWR CTLR ASKED US TO SLOW TO MINIMUM FINAL APCH SPD AND S-TURN DOWN FINAL TO ALLOW A B-737 DEP. WE COMPLIED AND AT APPROX 1000 FT AGL WE OBSERVED AN ACFT ROLLING DOWN THE RWY THAT WE ASSUMED TO BE OUR TFC. INSTEAD, THE CTLR CLRED A SECOND ACFT INTO POS TO HOLD WHILE THE FIRST ACFT WAS TAXIING CLR OF THE RWY AFTER LNDG. AS WE CONTINUED OUR APCH IT BECAME VERY CLR THAT SPACING WOULD BE MARGINAL BTWN US AND THE DEPARTING ACFT AND I PERSONALLY (TWICE) REQUESTED THE CTLR'S MISSED APCH INSTRUCTIONS. THE CTLR TOLD US TO CONTINUE AND WHILE WE WERE LESS THAN 500 FT AGL AND LESS THAN 1 1/2 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN, THE CTLR CLRED FOR TKOF. SEVERAL TIMES WE ASKED THE TWR CTLR FOR LNDG CLRNC AND FINALLY AT 50 FT AGL AND OVER THE THRESHOLD, THE CTLR BROKE HIS SILENCE AND SAID THE B737 WAS AIRBORNE AND THAT WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. IN DARKNESS AND THAT FAR INTO OUR LNDG FLARE, WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE B737 WAS ACTUALLY AIRBORNE OR IF THE CTLR WAS STRETCHING THE TRUTH TO MAKE IT SEEM LEGAL. WHILE IN THE LNDG FLARE, WE WERE ROCKED VIOLENTLY BY JET WASH AND WE TOUCHED DOWN IN AN UNCTLED FASHION WHILE ROCKING AND BUFFETING FROM SIDE TO SIDE, MUCH TO THE DISCOMFORT OF ALL ABOARD. (ACFT WINDS WERE CALM). DURING OUR ROLL OUT AND IN FRUSTRATION, I COMPLAINED TO THE CTLR THAT SPACING WAS TOO CLOSE AND PLEASE DON'T DO THAT AGAIN. HE RESPONDED BY COMPLEMENTING THE B737 PLTS 'GOOD JOB GUYS' AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT THEM BY TELEPHONE UPON BLOCK IN. I TELEPHONED THE SUPVR AND HE THREATENED ME WITH ACTION TO INCLUDE 'PULLING THE TAPES' AND NOTIFICATION OF THE CHIEF PILOT, FOR MY AIRLINE. I RECOMMENDED THAT HE DO JUST THAT. IN TURN I FILED AN O-53 HAZARD RPT AND NOTIFIED MY SUPVRS.

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.