MD80 crew executed a missed approach when the traffic the aircraft was to follow was too close.

Attributes
ACN	415050
Time
Date	199809
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lga
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Saab-Scania Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	415050
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	414847
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 4500 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

While executing the expressway visual runway 31 approach and turning base leg, traffic was called by lga tower as 12 O'clock, 1 mi south of shea stadium. This traffic described by the tower appeared to be the traffic we were following on the approach. However, the traffic that the tower intended us to follow was actually no where near the stadium and at our 2 O'clock position on a straight-in approach to runway 31, out of sequence. When it became clear that this was our traffic to follow, it was obvious that we would be unable to safely follow the traffic without excessive maneuvering, a go around was initiated. Suggestions: 1) do not permit straight-in or right turn-in approachs to runway 31 when the expressway visual approach is in use, especially during busy arrival periods. 2) limit visual approachs to follow traffic at high density airports. Supplemental information from acn 414847: we were on the expressway visual runway 31 at lga. Tower had called traffic for us just south of the stadium while we were on downwind. After about 30-45 seconds, we spotted traffic just west of the stadium and called traffic in sight. We began our base leg to space behind the observed traffic. Shortly after turning base we saw a commuter aircraft on what appeared to be a straight-in approach. We went around because we were too close to traffic to space ourselves behind him. It appeared that this commuter traffic had not been pointed out to us by lga tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW EXECUTED A MISSED APCH WHEN THE TFC THE ACFT WAS TO FOLLOW WAS TOO CLOSE.

Narrative: WHILE EXECUTING THE EXPRESSWAY VISUAL RWY 31 APCH AND TURNING BASE LEG, TFC WAS CALLED BY LGA TWR AS 12 O'CLOCK, 1 MI S OF SHEA STADIUM. THIS TFC DESCRIBED BY THE TWR APPEARED TO BE THE TFC WE WERE FOLLOWING ON THE APCH. HOWEVER, THE TFC THAT THE TWR INTENDED US TO FOLLOW WAS ACTUALLY NO WHERE NEAR THE STADIUM AND AT OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS ON A STRAIGHT-IN APCH TO RWY 31, OUT OF SEQUENCE. WHEN IT BECAME CLR THAT THIS WAS OUR TFC TO FOLLOW, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO SAFELY FOLLOW THE TFC WITHOUT EXCESSIVE MANEUVERING, A GAR WAS INITIATED. SUGGESTIONS: 1) DO NOT PERMIT STRAIGHT-IN OR R TURN-IN APCHS TO RWY 31 WHEN THE EXPRESSWAY VISUAL APCH IS IN USE, ESPECIALLY DURING BUSY ARR PERIODS. 2) LIMIT VISUAL APCHS TO FOLLOW TFC AT HIGH DENSITY ARPTS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 414847: WE WERE ON THE EXPRESSWAY VISUAL RWY 31 AT LGA. TWR HAD CALLED TFC FOR US JUST S OF THE STADIUM WHILE WE WERE ON DOWNWIND. AFTER ABOUT 30-45 SECONDS, WE SPOTTED TFC JUST W OF THE STADIUM AND CALLED TFC IN SIGHT. WE BEGAN OUR BASE LEG TO SPACE BEHIND THE OBSERVED TFC. SHORTLY AFTER TURNING BASE WE SAW A COMMUTER ACFT ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE A STRAIGHT-IN APCH. WE WENT AROUND BECAUSE WE WERE TOO CLOSE TO TFC TO SPACE OURSELVES BEHIND HIM. IT APPEARED THAT THIS COMMUTER TFC HAD NOT BEEN POINTED OUT TO US BY LGA TWR.

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.