Narrative:

On final approach to bos runway 27, in day VFR, bos was set up for lndgs on runway 22L and runway 27. Takeoffs were off runway 22R. At approximately 1000 ft AGL, already cleared for a visual approach, I heard tower ATC clear a heavy A340 into position runway 22R to be ready for an immediate takeoff. When we were at approximately 400 ft AGL for runway 27, tower cleared the A340 for takeoff. We tried to reach tower on the radio, seeing how a potentially dangerous situation was about to occur. Knowing how busy all areas around bos are in this confign, we wanted to talk to tower and work out a missed approach path -- since the A340's takeoff path was eliminating our normal missed approach path. Tower ordered us to go around at 200 ft, seeing how the A340's takeoff was too slow for our landing to be conducted safely. In my opinion, the tower did not follow procedures and should have canceled A340's takeoff. We were too close to landing and runway 22R takeoff and runway 27 missed approach paths are the same. I contacted bos tower on the phone and queried the tower as to whether our missed approach corridor was being protected during this occurrence. I was informed that it was. I asked for future reference, whether tower had a suggested path under NORDO operations if this should happen again. The tower person said that there is no other safe path to go due to traffic. The tower person also admitted that this is 'a difficult confign to operate under,' and said TCASII was probably the best tool to rely on should this happen again. I do not believe the clearing of the A340 for takeoff was done according to the rules tower operations are conducted under. Further, we did not know where A340's point of rotation off runway 22R would be, in relation to where our touchdown would be. At one point it seemed possible that the only way out of this traffic conflict was to possibly land and roll out into the takeoff wake of the heavy airbus.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 REGIONAL JET CAPT ATTEMPTS TO QUESTION BOS TWR AFTER HEARING AN A340 TAXIED INTO POS FOR TKOF ON A XING RWY. EVENT RESULTS IN A GAR.

Narrative: ON FINAL APCH TO BOS RWY 27, IN DAY VFR, BOS WAS SET UP FOR LNDGS ON RWY 22L AND RWY 27. TKOFS WERE OFF RWY 22R. AT APPROX 1000 FT AGL, ALREADY CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH, I HEARD TWR ATC CLR A HVY A340 INTO POS RWY 22R TO BE READY FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF. WHEN WE WERE AT APPROX 400 FT AGL FOR RWY 27, TWR CLRED THE A340 FOR TKOF. WE TRIED TO REACH TWR ON THE RADIO, SEEING HOW A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR. KNOWING HOW BUSY ALL AREAS AROUND BOS ARE IN THIS CONFIGN, WE WANTED TO TALK TO TWR AND WORK OUT A MISSED APCH PATH -- SINCE THE A340'S TKOF PATH WAS ELIMINATING OUR NORMAL MISSED APCH PATH. TWR ORDERED US TO GO AROUND AT 200 FT, SEEING HOW THE A340'S TKOF WAS TOO SLOW FOR OUR LNDG TO BE CONDUCTED SAFELY. IN MY OPINION, THE TWR DID NOT FOLLOW PROCS AND SHOULD HAVE CANCELED A340'S TKOF. WE WERE TOO CLOSE TO LNDG AND RWY 22R TKOF AND RWY 27 MISSED APCH PATHS ARE THE SAME. I CONTACTED BOS TWR ON THE PHONE AND QUERIED THE TWR AS TO WHETHER OUR MISSED APCH CORRIDOR WAS BEING PROTECTED DURING THIS OCCURRENCE. I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS. I ASKED FOR FUTURE REF, WHETHER TWR HAD A SUGGESTED PATH UNDER NORDO OPS IF THIS SHOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THE TWR PERSON SAID THAT THERE IS NO OTHER SAFE PATH TO GO DUE TO TFC. THE TWR PERSON ALSO ADMITTED THAT THIS IS 'A DIFFICULT CONFIGN TO OPERATE UNDER,' AND SAID TCASII WAS PROBABLY THE BEST TOOL TO RELY ON SHOULD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE CLRING OF THE A340 FOR TKOF WAS DONE ACCORDING TO THE RULES TWR OPS ARE CONDUCTED UNDER. FURTHER, WE DID NOT KNOW WHERE A340'S POINT OF ROTATION OFF RWY 22R WOULD BE, IN RELATION TO WHERE OUR TOUCHDOWN WOULD BE. AT ONE POINT IT SEEMED POSSIBLE THAT THE ONLY WAY OUT OF THIS TFC CONFLICT WAS TO POSSIBLY LAND AND ROLL OUT INTO THE TKOF WAKE OF THE HVY AIRBUS.

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.