C90 approach controller misjudged spacing between a B757 and a regional jet resulting in a go around...

Attributes
ACN	546531
Time
Date	200205
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 7000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 14
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	546531
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	547087
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed go around
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Arriving into chicago airspace, we were leading the pack and given 310 KTS or better. With approach control, we were given cross bifle at 7000 ft, cleared the approach ILS runway 14R, 250 KTS for now. Prior to sexxy, we were told to stay on the localizer but maintain 6000 ft. Then we were told to reduce to 170 KTS. At that point, I saw the reason. We had an rj turning in 1 mi ahead of us. I reported traffic to approach and queried if that was our sequence now. He replied yes, and gave us a further airspeed reduction to our final approach speed. He then told the other guy to maintain 210 to the marker. We were then cleared to descend on the ILS again. At 3500 ft, with only 1.5 mi in trail of this guy, and 500 ft above the clouds, it was apparent to us this was not going to work out and we broke off the approach. Remarks from approach indicated our controller planned on the sequence, but the ship being placed ahead of us was slow in their turn or did not react at the pace the controller expected. I believe it should have been apparent that this was not going to work out, and wonder if the airplane being vectored into the sequence should have been given the go around. Fortunately, we were still well ahead of schedule. I don't need to mention fuel waste with this event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C90 APCH CTLR MISJUDGED SPACING BTWN A B757 AND A REGIONAL JET RESULTING IN A GAR.

Narrative: ARRIVING INTO CHICAGO AIRSPACE, WE WERE LEADING THE PACK AND GIVEN 310 KTS OR BETTER. WITH APCH CTL, WE WERE GIVEN CROSS BIFLE AT 7000 FT, CLRED THE APCH ILS RWY 14R, 250 KTS FOR NOW. PRIOR TO SEXXY, WE WERE TOLD TO STAY ON THE LOC BUT MAINTAIN 6000 FT. THEN WE WERE TOLD TO REDUCE TO 170 KTS. AT THAT POINT, I SAW THE REASON. WE HAD AN RJ TURNING IN 1 MI AHEAD OF US. I RPTED TFC TO APCH AND QUERIED IF THAT WAS OUR SEQUENCE NOW. HE REPLIED YES, AND GAVE US A FURTHER AIRSPD REDUCTION TO OUR FINAL APCH SPD. HE THEN TOLD THE OTHER GUY TO MAINTAIN 210 TO THE MARKER. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO DSND ON THE ILS AGAIN. AT 3500 FT, WITH ONLY 1.5 MI IN TRAIL OF THIS GUY, AND 500 FT ABOVE THE CLOUDS, IT WAS APPARENT TO US THIS WAS NOT GOING TO WORK OUT AND WE BROKE OFF THE APCH. REMARKS FROM APCH INDICATED OUR CTLR PLANNED ON THE SEQUENCE, BUT THE SHIP BEING PLACED AHEAD OF US WAS SLOW IN THEIR TURN OR DID NOT REACT AT THE PACE THE CTLR EXPECTED. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN APPARENT THAT THIS WAS NOT GOING TO WORK OUT, AND WONDER IF THE AIRPLANE BEING VECTORED INTO THE SEQUENCE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE GAR. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE STILL WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. I DON'T NEED TO MENTION FUEL WASTE WITH THIS EVENT.

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.