Narrative:

Msp tower controllers saturated. Close-in spacing from approach to tower resulted in aircraft going around on short final because of aircraft on runway. Msp push times result in numerous safety conflicts with aircraft on runway while another is either cleared for takeoff or landing. Tower controller is losing situational awareness. Scenario: we taxied wbound on taxiway a en route for runway 12R. Abeam taxiway A-8 tower placed a saab in position runway 12R. An airbus was cleared to land and the saab was subsequently cleared to take off. At approximately 150 to 200 ft AGL, airbus was told 'go around.' a DC10 then landed in sequence while we held short runway 12R, brakes set tower issued instructions to position and hold runway 12R. We acknowledged, clearly and positively, 'air carrier X position and hold runway 12R.' we verified approach and runway were clear and began to position on runway 12R. We observed a citation jet exiting W-9 and positioning in front of us on runway 12R. We queried tower, 'verify air carrier X position and hold.' tower replied 'air carrier X hold short.' we advised, 'air carrier X we are in position runway 12R.' tower replied, 'air carrier X you were not cleared runway 12R. Exit left of runway behind air carrier zz.' we acknowledged,' air carrier X clearing runway. We read back 'air carrier X position and hold.' tower responded, 'I didn't hear your readback.' we cleared runway quickly and repositioned behind an air carrier zz MD80 who was holding short runway 12R. Comments: we discovered problem and advised tower. Tower missed our read back to position and hold runway 12R. Runways at msp often have biz jets or commuter take feeders for takeoff because of high density departure and arrivals. All aircraft are spring loaded at push timed and controllers and pilots are short phrased and hurried. Msp operates at 110 percent with only 100 percent capacity.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 CREW DESCRIBED MISHANDLING AT MSP DUE TO EXCESSIVE TFC AND CTLR WORKLOAD.

Narrative: MSP TWR CTLRS SATURATED. CLOSE-IN SPACING FROM APCH TO TWR RESULTED IN ACFT GOING AROUND ON SHORT FINAL BECAUSE OF ACFT ON RWY. MSP PUSH TIMES RESULT IN NUMEROUS SAFETY CONFLICTS WITH ACFT ON RWY WHILE ANOTHER IS EITHER CLRED FOR TAKEOFF OR LNDG. TWR CTLR IS LOSING SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. SCENARIO: WE TAXIED WBOUND ON TXWY A ENRTE FOR RWY 12R. ABEAM TXWY A-8 TWR PLACED A SAAB IN POS RWY 12R. AN AIRBUS WAS CLRED TO LAND AND THE SAAB WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED TO TAKE OFF. AT APPROX 150 TO 200 FT AGL, AIRBUS WAS TOLD 'GAR.' A DC10 THEN LANDED IN SEQUENCE WHILE WE HELD SHORT RWY 12R, BRAKES SET TWR ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO POS AND HOLD RWY 12R. WE ACKNOWLEDGED, CLEARLY AND POSITIVELY, 'ACR X POS AND HOLD RWY 12R.' WE VERIFIED APCH AND RWY WERE CLR AND BEGAN TO POS ON RWY 12R. WE OBSERVED A CITATION JET EXITING W-9 AND POSITIONING IN FRONT OF US ON RWY 12R. WE QUERIED TWR, 'VERIFY ACR X POS AND HOLD.' TWR REPLIED 'ACR X HOLD SHORT.' WE ADVISED, 'ACR X WE ARE IN POS RWY 12R.' TWR REPLIED, 'ACR X YOU WERE NOT CLRED RWY 12R. EXIT L OF RWY BEHIND ACR ZZ.' WE ACKNOWLEDGED,' ACR X CLRING RWY. WE READ BACK 'ACR X POS AND HOLD.' TWR RESPONDED, 'I DIDN'T HEAR YOUR READBACK.' WE CLRED RWY QUICKLY AND REPOSITIONED BEHIND AN ACR ZZ MD80 WHO WAS HOLDING SHORT RWY 12R. COMMENTS: WE DISCOVERED PROBLEM AND ADVISED TWR. TWR MISSED OUR READ BACK TO POS AND HOLD RWY 12R. RWYS AT MSP OFTEN HAVE BIZ JETS OR COMMUTER TAKE FEEDERS FOR TAKEOFF BECAUSE OF HIGH DENSITY DEP AND ARRIVALS. ALL ACFT ARE SPRING LOADED AT PUSH TIMED AND CTLRS AND PLTS ARE SHORT PHRASED AND HURRIED. MSP OPERATES AT 110 PERCENT WITH ONLY 100 PERCENT CAPACITY.

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.