B737 flight crew executes go around and comes in conflict with departing MD80.

Attributes
ACN	446284
Time
Date	199908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 50 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sna.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 19 other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sna.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff ground other : sna
Route In Use	departure sid : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	446284
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	446851
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed go around flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

On approach (aircraft X) to runway 19R at sna, a departing MD80 (aircraft Y) climbed out ahead. At 50 ft AGL, tower commanded go around. During go around, we offset to the right to avoid the departing MD80. Tower cleared heading 220 degrees, 2000 ft -- we complied. Tower then cleared heading 165 degrees, 2000 ft -- clearance declined to avoid hitting MD80. Tower then cleared left heading 190 degrees, 2000 ft -- clearance declined -- we were gaining on departing MD80 and would be too close on that heading. Tower then cleared heading 220 degrees, 2000 ft -- complied. Conflict with departing aircraft avoided. Returned to runway 19R for normal landing. Resolution: I would never have done the go around had I not thought that there was some element that the tower had noticed that we had missed. The discussion with the tower supervisor after the fact revealed that he thought lateral separation with the departing aircraft was too close -- even though the departing aircraft was airborne and climbing through approximately 300 ft as we passed through 100 ft AGL. The safest thing to do would have been to just land.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC EXECUTES GAR AND COMES IN CONFLICT WITH DEPARTING MD80.

Narrative: ON APCH (ACFT X) TO RWY 19R AT SNA, A DEPARTING MD80 (ACFT Y) CLBED OUT AHEAD. AT 50 FT AGL, TWR COMMANDED GAR. DURING GAR, WE OFFSET TO THE R TO AVOID THE DEPARTING MD80. TWR CLRED HDG 220 DEGS, 2000 FT -- WE COMPLIED. TWR THEN CLRED HDG 165 DEGS, 2000 FT -- CLRNC DECLINED TO AVOID HITTING MD80. TWR THEN CLRED L HDG 190 DEGS, 2000 FT -- CLRNC DECLINED -- WE WERE GAINING ON DEPARTING MD80 AND WOULD BE TOO CLOSE ON THAT HDG. TWR THEN CLRED HDG 220 DEGS, 2000 FT -- COMPLIED. CONFLICT WITH DEPARTING ACFT AVOIDED. RETURNED TO RWY 19R FOR NORMAL LNDG. RESOLUTION: I WOULD NEVER HAVE DONE THE GAR HAD I NOT THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS SOME ELEMENT THAT THE TWR HAD NOTICED THAT WE HAD MISSED. THE DISCUSSION WITH THE TWR SUPVR AFTER THE FACT REVEALED THAT HE THOUGHT LATERAL SEPARATION WITH THE DEPARTING ACFT WAS TOO CLOSE -- EVEN THOUGH THE DEPARTING ACFT WAS AIRBORNE AND CLBING THROUGH APPROX 300 FT AS WE PASSED THROUGH 100 FT AGL. THE SAFEST THING TO DO WOULD HAVE BEEN TO JUST LAND.

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.