Narrative:

Air carrier X (B727) inbound runway 16 at den for a low approach for a gear check. Pilot indicated possible gear problem and maybe structural damage to gear door. Pilot executed a fly-by between 8000-9000 ft MSL. Aircraft was too high to accurately check the gear and door and was issued instructions to enter a right downwind for runway 16 to do a low approach at a lower altitude. While on downwind, I observed 2 aircraft on final to runway 16 -- a BE02 (#2 aircraft) and a B737 (#3 aircraft). The tower tmc notified the den TRACON tmc about the situation, thus the TRACON tmc advised the 2 aircraft on final would maintain 8000 ft and be broken off the approach. While air carrier X was still on downwind, I observed the BE02 still on final and descending. Traffic was issued and air carrier X was going to follow the BE02. Tower called TRACON tmc again as the #3 aircraft was still on final and descending, TRACON tmc advised the B737 was already 'committed' to the approach. Aircraft was on 9 mi final and I did not think this was accurate. After investigating, I was advised by the tower tmc that the TRACON final controller refused to break the B737 out of the final. I tried to contact the B737 on tower frequency, hoping he was on, so I could break him out. But he (B737) was not on, and when the aircraft was finally on the frequency, the B737 and air carrier X were parallel (downwind/final). It was too late to break the B737 out of final so air carrier X was instructed to follow the B737. An emergency aircraft with possible structural damage was delayed on downwind to final because of the refusal of the TRACON controller to break his aircraft out and untimely frequency changes to the tower. As it turned out, air carrier X executed his low approach then landed safely. However, the refusal of the TRACON final controller compromised the safety of the emergency aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CTLR INSTRUCTING A DEVELOPMENTAL ON LCL CTL HAD A B727 WITH A GEAR PROB THAT WANTED A FLY-BY TO CHK HIS GEAR. THE B727 WAS TOO HIGH ON HIS FIRST PASS AND HAD TO MAKE ANOTHER LOWER FLY-BY. IN THE MEANTIME THE COORD BTWN THE TWR TMC AND TRACON TMC OVER THE SEQUENCING OF TFC WAS IGNORED BY THE APCH CTLR WHO RAN A BE02 AND A B737 IN FRONT OF THE B727. TWR CTLR, THE RPTR, WAS UPSET ABOUT THE SEQUENCING OF THE TFC.

Narrative: ACR X (B727) INBOUND RWY 16 AT DEN FOR A LOW APCH FOR A GEAR CHK. PLT INDICATED POSSIBLE GEAR PROB AND MAYBE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO GEAR DOOR. PLT EXECUTED A FLY-BY BTWN 8000-9000 FT MSL. ACFT WAS TOO HIGH TO ACCURATELY CHK THE GEAR AND DOOR AND WAS ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 16 TO DO A LOW APCH AT A LOWER ALT. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, I OBSERVED 2 ACFT ON FINAL TO RWY 16 -- A BE02 (#2 ACFT) AND A B737 (#3 ACFT). THE TWR TMC NOTIFIED THE DEN TRACON TMC ABOUT THE SIT, THUS THE TRACON TMC ADVISED THE 2 ACFT ON FINAL WOULD MAINTAIN 8000 FT AND BE BROKEN OFF THE APCH. WHILE ACR X WAS STILL ON DOWNWIND, I OBSERVED THE BE02 STILL ON FINAL AND DSNDING. TFC WAS ISSUED AND ACR X WAS GOING TO FOLLOW THE BE02. TWR CALLED TRACON TMC AGAIN AS THE #3 ACFT WAS STILL ON FINAL AND DSNDING, TRACON TMC ADVISED THE B737 WAS ALREADY 'COMMITTED' TO THE APCH. ACFT WAS ON 9 MI FINAL AND I DID NOT THINK THIS WAS ACCURATE. AFTER INVESTIGATING, I WAS ADVISED BY THE TWR TMC THAT THE TRACON FINAL CTLR REFUSED TO BREAK THE B737 OUT OF THE FINAL. I TRIED TO CONTACT THE B737 ON TWR FREQ, HOPING HE WAS ON, SO I COULD BREAK HIM OUT. BUT HE (B737) WAS NOT ON, AND WHEN THE ACFT WAS FINALLY ON THE FREQ, THE B737 AND ACR X WERE PARALLEL (DOWNWIND/FINAL). IT WAS TOO LATE TO BREAK THE B737 OUT OF FINAL SO ACR X WAS INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW THE B737. AN EMER ACFT WITH POSSIBLE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WAS DELAYED ON DOWNWIND TO FINAL BECAUSE OF THE REFUSAL OF THE TRACON CTLR TO BREAK HIS ACFT OUT AND UNTIMELY FREQ CHANGES TO THE TWR. AS IT TURNED OUT, ACR X EXECUTED HIS LOW APCH THEN LANDED SAFELY. HOWEVER, THE REFUSAL OF THE TRACON FINAL CTLR COMPROMISED THE SAFETY OF THE EMER ACFT.

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.