Narrative:

Two go around's from below 1000 ft AGL. Msp runway 12R. Because of the reduced intervals between arriving and departing aircraft (too accommodate more traffic), we had a tower directed go around from 400 ft AGL. The departing aircraft was delayed on takeoff roll because of an arrival trying to clear the runway. During the subsequent visual approach to 12R, an emergency aircraft (dc-9) was executing an approach to runway 4. It landed ahead of us, and was well through the intersection of runways 4 and 12R, but one of the ground vehicles attending the emergency had not crossed the intersection. An aircraft in position on 12R was cleared for takeoff, but the crew questioned the tower about that vehicle. By the time the aircraft was rolling for takeoff, the internal was questionable and a second go around was dictated by the tower. We advised approach control that another go around would cause us to be minimum fuel, we landed with 7800 pounds of fuel remaining. In order to accommodate more departures and arrivals, the intervals between aircraft have been decreased at the msp airport. Potential go around sits have become more numerous over the last several yrs. The fourth runway (under construction) should help. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he has incurred and witnessed more go around's within the last couple months than in the past yr. The pilot believes this is in direct proportion to increased air traffic activity at msp. The air carrier pilot's are referring to this type of air traffic operation as 'shoehorning'. He believes that controllers are not allowing for the additional time for an aircraft needs to depart-due to temperature and humidity.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 REQUIRED TO EXECUTE TWO GAR'S DUE TO TFC ON THE RWY, AND EMER VEHICLE XING ON AN INTERSECTING RWY.

Narrative: TWO GAR'S FROM BELOW 1000 FT AGL. MSP RWY 12R. BECAUSE OF THE REDUCED INTERVALS BTWN ARRIVING AND DEPARTING ACFT (TOO ACCOMMODATE MORE TFC), WE HAD A TWR DIRECTED GAR FROM 400 FT AGL. THE DEPARTING ACFT WAS DELAYED ON TKOF ROLL BECAUSE OF AN ARR TRYING TO CLR THE RWY. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT VISUAL APCH TO 12R, AN EMER ACFT (DC-9) WAS EXECUTING AN APCH TO RWY 4. IT LANDED AHEAD OF US, AND WAS WELL THROUGH THE INTXN OF RWYS 4 AND 12R, BUT ONE OF THE GND VEHICLES ATTENDING THE EMER HAD NOT CROSSED THE INTXN. AN ACFT IN POS ON 12R WAS CLRED FOR TKOF, BUT THE CREW QUESTIONED THE TWR ABOUT THAT VEHICLE. BY THE TIME THE ACFT WAS ROLLING FOR TKOF, THE INTERNAL WAS QUESTIONABLE AND A SEC GAR WAS DICTATED BY THE TWR. WE ADVISED APCH CTL THAT ANOTHER GAR WOULD CAUSE US TO BE MINIMUM FUEL, WE LANDED WITH 7800 LBS OF FUEL REMAINING. IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE MORE DEPARTURES AND ARRIVALS, THE INTERVALS BTWN ACFT HAVE BEEN DECREASED AT THE MSP ARPT. POTENTIAL GAR SITS HAVE BECOME MORE NUMEROUS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YRS. THE FOURTH RWY (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) SHOULD HELP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAS INCURRED AND WITNESSED MORE GAR'S WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS THAN IN THE PAST YR. THE PLT BELIEVES THIS IS IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO INCREASED AIR TRAFFIC ACTIVITY AT MSP. THE ACR PLT'S ARE REFERRING TO THIS TYPE OF AIR TRAFFIC OPERATION AS 'SHOEHORNING'. HE BELIEVES THAT CTLRS ARE NOT ALLOWING FOR THE ADDITIONAL TIME FOR AN ACFT NEEDS TO DEPART-DUE TO TEMP AND HUMIDITY.

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.