A320 flight crew executes go around at sea due to traffic departing on runway and S46 sequencing.

Attributes
ACN	515883
Time
Date	200106
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : s46.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : s46.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time type : 544
ASRS Report	515883
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time type : 1641
ASRS Report	515560
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : executed go around flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Vector to final approach was busy. Never advised us of which runway. We made assumption of runway 34L as called by ATIS. We advised airport in sight, approach controller cleared us for visual to runway 34R. He advised us of dash 8 behind us who had us in sight going to runway 34L. At 900 ft we got an RA to descend at 1900 FPM. After we cleared conflict, we got re-established on GS. At 400 ft the tower cleared an air carrier B757 for takeoff on runway 34R. We were about to flare. Aircraft still on active so we initiated go around. As we were vectored to final, approach controller once again never clarified landing runway until we were on base cleared for visual for runway 34L. Overall, sea approach and tower appeared totally overworked and unorganized. Tower requested a call upon landing. I spoke with tower supervisor and advised him of entire incident. Supplemental information from acn 515560: air carrier was still on takeoff roll and we had to execute a missed approach. Tower wanted us to maintain visual separation which was impossible to do since we had a nose high attitude. We advised tower and turned 30 degrees right. Also, tower changed missed approach altitude down to 2000 ft. Very high workload.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLC EXECUTES GAR AT SEA DUE TO TFC DEPARTING ON RWY AND S46 SEQUENCING.

Narrative: VECTOR TO FINAL APCH WAS BUSY. NEVER ADVISED US OF WHICH RWY. WE MADE ASSUMPTION OF RWY 34L AS CALLED BY ATIS. WE ADVISED ARPT IN SIGHT, APCH CTLR CLRED US FOR VISUAL TO RWY 34R. HE ADVISED US OF DASH 8 BEHIND US WHO HAD US IN SIGHT GOING TO RWY 34L. AT 900 FT WE GOT AN RA TO DSND AT 1900 FPM. AFTER WE CLRED CONFLICT, WE GOT RE-ESTABLISHED ON GS. AT 400 FT THE TWR CLRED AN ACR B757 FOR TKOF ON RWY 34R. WE WERE ABOUT TO FLARE. ACFT STILL ON ACTIVE SO WE INITIATED GAR. AS WE WERE VECTORED TO FINAL, APCH CTLR ONCE AGAIN NEVER CLARIFIED LNDG RWY UNTIL WE WERE ON BASE CLRED FOR VISUAL FOR RWY 34L. OVERALL, SEA APCH AND TWR APPEARED TOTALLY OVERWORKED AND UNORGANIZED. TWR REQUESTED A CALL UPON LNDG. I SPOKE WITH TWR SUPVR AND ADVISED HIM OF ENTIRE INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 515560: ACR WAS STILL ON TKOF ROLL AND WE HAD TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH. TWR WANTED US TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WHICH WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO SINCE WE HAD A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. WE ADVISED TWR AND TURNED 30 DEGS R. ALSO, TWR CHANGED MISSED APCH ALT DOWN TO 2000 FT. VERY HIGH WORKLOAD.

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.