Narrative:

Following an MD80 to airport on visual approach approximately 3 mi behind, controller told us to slow to approach speed to allow a B757 to depart. We indicated we were at approach speed. As the MD80 landed the B757 was given 'position and hold' as we were at 2 to 2 1/2 mi from touchdown. At approximately 1.3 mi on final (400 ft MSL) and the B757 still did not have takeoff clearance. I opted to go around because I believe that to wait for the controller to have acted would have diminished our safety margin below acceptable limits. Had I either landed or gone around I would have been within a mi (perhaps much less) of the B757 and its wake turbulence. In my opinion the controller was very cavalier and showed very poor judgement to have not taken positive action to correct the situation. After the go around we landed behind another B757 that was 2 mi away on final. We still had unacceptable levels of turbulence. How many B757 turbulence accidents/blocked runway accidents does this facility get before they refrain from their over zealous efforts to 'move the metal' and blame the problems on the pilots?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B737 ON VISUAL APCH SHORT FINAL GOES AROUND DUE TO A B757 TAKING OFF. THE RPTR IS CRITICAL OF ATC SEQUENCING.

Narrative: FOLLOWING AN MD80 TO ARPT ON VISUAL APCH APPROX 3 MI BEHIND, CTLR TOLD US TO SLOW TO APCH SPD TO ALLOW A B757 TO DEPART. WE INDICATED WE WERE AT APCH SPD. AS THE MD80 LANDED THE B757 WAS GIVEN 'POS AND HOLD' AS WE WERE AT 2 TO 2 1/2 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN. AT APPROX 1.3 MI ON FINAL (400 FT MSL) AND THE B757 STILL DID NOT HAVE TKOF CLRNC. I OPTED TO GAR BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT TO WAIT FOR THE CTLR TO HAVE ACTED WOULD HAVE DIMINISHED OUR SAFETY MARGIN BELOW ACCEPTABLE LIMITS. HAD I EITHER LANDED OR GONE AROUND I WOULD HAVE BEEN WITHIN A MI (PERHAPS MUCH LESS) OF THE B757 AND ITS WAKE TURB. IN MY OPINION THE CTLR WAS VERY CAVALIER AND SHOWED VERY POOR JUDGEMENT TO HAVE NOT TAKEN POSITIVE ACTION TO CORRECT THE SIT. AFTER THE GAR WE LANDED BEHIND ANOTHER B757 THAT WAS 2 MI AWAY ON FINAL. WE STILL HAD UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF TURB. HOW MANY B757 TURB ACCIDENTS/BLOCKED RWY ACCIDENTS DOES THIS FACILITY GET BEFORE THEY REFRAIN FROM THEIR OVER ZEALOUS EFFORTS TO 'MOVE THE METAL' AND BLAME THE PROBS ON THE PLTS?

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.