Narrative:

At the time, hou was landing multiple runways with clear skies and calm winds. We were flying a visual approach to runway 30L and another carrier, a visual to runway 12R. As we turned final at the marker, the other aircraft was inside 2 mi as reported by tower. The first officer was flying the approach normally and both of us trying to visually acquire the other aircraft. At 2 mi on final, suddenly the other aircraft called out urgently, 'aircraft on runway, go around on final.' at the same time, every external light on that aircraft illuminated. Tower instructed the other aircraft to exit at the high speed or expedite to the end and for us to continue (we already had landing clearance). We had already decided to initiate a go around and thus continued with that plan of action. We accomplished a box pattern to an uneventful landing. Contributing factors: 1) I do not believe the other aircraft was aware of the situation, ie, when he saw us on short final, it was his first realization that aircraft were landing opposite runways in close proximity. 2) I do not believe he had all of his external lights on until he saw a conflict. 3) at a 2 mi final, I should have been prompting tower for more information concerning the other aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 558391: while flying into hou hobby late at night, approach was letting each airplane pick their own runway. We selected runway 30L, as did the airplane behind us. Aircraft Y picked runway 12R. He was well ahead and was not a factor (or so we thought). We flew a visual pattern and were tracking the localizer into runway 30L. While on final, the runway looked clear. When we were about 500-700 ft AGL, we simultaneously saw bright lights on the runway and heard a very excited pilot telling, 'aircraft on final go around,' which we did. About 10-15 seconds into the go around, tower assured us the runway was clear and we were cleared to land. We continued go around and made another pattern to uneventful landing.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LCL CTLR AT HOU ISSUED A LNDG CLRNC TO AN MD80 FOR RWY 30L WITH A B737 LNDG ON THE OPPOSITE END.

Narrative: AT THE TIME, HOU WAS LNDG MULTIPLE RWYS WITH CLR SKIES AND CALM WINDS. WE WERE FLYING A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 30L AND ANOTHER CARRIER, A VISUAL TO RWY 12R. AS WE TURNED FINAL AT THE MARKER, THE OTHER ACFT WAS INSIDE 2 MI AS RPTED BY TWR. THE FO WAS FLYING THE APCH NORMALLY AND BOTH OF US TRYING TO VISUALLY ACQUIRE THE OTHER ACFT. AT 2 MI ON FINAL, SUDDENLY THE OTHER ACFT CALLED OUT URGENTLY, 'ACFT ON RWY, GO AROUND ON FINAL.' AT THE SAME TIME, EVERY EXTERNAL LIGHT ON THAT ACFT ILLUMINATED. TWR INSTRUCTED THE OTHER ACFT TO EXIT AT THE HIGH SPD OR EXPEDITE TO THE END AND FOR US TO CONTINUE (WE ALREADY HAD LNDG CLRNC). WE HAD ALREADY DECIDED TO INITIATE A GAR AND THUS CONTINUED WITH THAT PLAN OF ACTION. WE ACCOMPLISHED A BOX PATTERN TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) I DO NOT BELIEVE THE OTHER ACFT WAS AWARE OF THE SIT, IE, WHEN HE SAW US ON SHORT FINAL, IT WAS HIS FIRST REALIZATION THAT ACFT WERE LNDG OPPOSITE RWYS IN CLOSE PROX. 2) I DO NOT BELIEVE HE HAD ALL OF HIS EXTERNAL LIGHTS ON UNTIL HE SAW A CONFLICT. 3) AT A 2 MI FINAL, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROMPTING TWR FOR MORE INFO CONCERNING THE OTHER ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 558391: WHILE FLYING INTO HOU HOBBY LATE AT NIGHT, APCH WAS LETTING EACH AIRPLANE PICK THEIR OWN RWY. WE SELECTED RWY 30L, AS DID THE AIRPLANE BEHIND US. ACFT Y PICKED RWY 12R. HE WAS WELL AHEAD AND WAS NOT A FACTOR (OR SO WE THOUGHT). WE FLEW A VISUAL PATTERN AND WERE TRACKING THE LOC INTO RWY 30L. WHILE ON FINAL, THE RWY LOOKED CLR. WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 500-700 FT AGL, WE SIMULTANEOUSLY SAW BRIGHT LIGHTS ON THE RWY AND HEARD A VERY EXCITED PLT TELLING, 'ACFT ON FINAL GO AROUND,' WHICH WE DID. ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS INTO THE GAR, TWR ASSURED US THE RWY WAS CLR AND WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. WE CONTINUED GAR AND MADE ANOTHER PATTERN TO UNEVENTFUL LNDG.

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.