A320 crew diverts to emergency field after mex field closes due to disabled aircraft on runway.

Attributes
ACN	420110
Time
Date	199811
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mex airport : mex
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mex tower : cle
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13290 flight time type : 948
ASRS Report	420110
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	420111
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Scheduled flight to mexico city. Full load, fuel limited by maximum landing weight. Runway 5R at mex closed, using runway 5L for takeoffs and lndgs, VOR approach. We were too high to complete the first approach, and did a missed. Were vectored in sequence for another approach, not really concerned about alternate fuel because we could see the airport by 4-5 mi out. Tower issued a go around about 1-2 mi out (no reason given), but there was a lot of 'chatter' in spanish until the go around was issued. After switching to departure, we were informed that there was a plane disabled on the runway (runway 5L) and runway 5R was closed. We were issued holding for an indefinite period. Our normal alternate (aca, acapulco) would have left us uncomfortably low on fuel, and not knowing how long mex would be closed, we elected to divert to tlc, a designated emergency field with a 13200+ ft runway and an ILS, before fuel became a real problem. Approach and landing were uneventful and we landed with approximately 4800 pounds of fuel. We refueled, obtained new paperwork from dispatch and proceeded to mex.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW DIVERTS TO EMER FIELD AFTER MEX FIELD CLOSES DUE TO DISABLED ACFT ON RWY.

Narrative: SCHEDULED FLT TO MEXICO CITY. FULL LOAD, FUEL LIMITED BY MAX LNDG WT. RWY 5R AT MEX CLOSED, USING RWY 5L FOR TKOFS AND LNDGS, VOR APCH. WE WERE TOO HIGH TO COMPLETE THE FIRST APCH, AND DID A MISSED. WERE VECTORED IN SEQUENCE FOR ANOTHER APCH, NOT REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT ALTERNATE FUEL BECAUSE WE COULD SEE THE ARPT BY 4-5 MI OUT. TWR ISSUED A GAR ABOUT 1-2 MI OUT (NO REASON GIVEN), BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF 'CHATTER' IN SPANISH UNTIL THE GAR WAS ISSUED. AFTER SWITCHING TO DEP, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A PLANE DISABLED ON THE RWY (RWY 5L) AND RWY 5R WAS CLOSED. WE WERE ISSUED HOLDING FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD. OUR NORMAL ALTERNATE (ACA, ACAPULCO) WOULD HAVE LEFT US UNCOMFORTABLY LOW ON FUEL, AND NOT KNOWING HOW LONG MEX WOULD BE CLOSED, WE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO TLC, A DESIGNATED EMER FIELD WITH A 13200+ FT RWY AND AN ILS, BEFORE FUEL BECAME A REAL PROB. APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL AND WE LANDED WITH APPROX 4800 LBS OF FUEL. WE REFUELED, OBTAINED NEW PAPERWORK FROM DISPATCH AND PROCEEDED TO MEX.

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.