Narrative:

Received radar vectors for ILS runway 30 approach into lgb airport at approximately XA00 local time. Approximately 2 mi from GS intercept (FAF), we were handed off to the lgb tower. After checking in with tower, air carrier X checked in and said they needed the circling approach. A few seconds later, tower cancelled our approach clearance and gave us 'maintain 1600 ft, turn left heading 180 degrees' without any explanation and handed us back to approach. We were re-vectored for the approach and instructed 'not to exceed 160 KTS.' approximately 3 mins later, we were on vectors for the ILS runway 30, circle-to-land 12 approach. After switching to tower, we were cleared for the approach and told there was an A320 on the same approach at mid-field. We were assigned 160 KIAS to the marker. We flew 160 KIAS to the marker and then reduced our speed to vref + 20 KTS (121 KIAS) as per SOP's. We executed the approach and 'broke out' at approximately 1000 ft MSL, descended to the MDA of 820 ft MSL, and started to circle north as instructed. During the circle, it was apparent (to us) that someone had a stuck microphone. We checked our radios and started monitoring the other tower frequencys (119.4) as well as the assigned tower frequency in the hope we could hear tower, which was successful. It was also evident that an air carrier X was approximately 2-4 mi from the airport turning final and outside of the protected airspace area for the circling approach. We could hear tower trying to tell the A320 to go missed with alternate missed approach instructions, but they probably couldn't hear as they were not monitoring the other frequency (our assumption), which had a stuck microphone. It became apparent to us that it was an unsafe situation as 2 jet aircraft were in close proximity in low visibility with norad. Furthermore, we were fast approaching our protected airspace limit (1.7 mi for CAT C approach) for circling approachs. Just as we were starting to move the power levers for the missed approach, tower instructed us to execute the 'published missed approach,' which was 'climb to 800 ft, left turn heading 200 degrees, then climb to 2500 ft.' as we were climbing through 1200 ft MSL, tower switched us to approach. At 1700 ft MSL, (climbing -- as per the published missed approach), we checked in with approach, and they told us to maintain 1600 ft MSL. By the time we leveled off and started the descent back to 1600 ft MSL, we were at 1950 ft MSL. We executed the descent and performed the 'missed approach checklist' as per operating specifications. We were again vectored for the approach to ILS runway 30, circle-to-land runway 12 without incident and made a full-stop landing. Upon landing, tower apologized and said they believed air carrier X had a stuck microphone. During the circling approach, we were able to maintain the A320 in our sight and never lost sight of the aircraft until we executed the missed approach. We were never in threat of a 'near miss' with the A320. In our (crew) opinion, contributing to the incident was: 1) the A320's very long base-to-final circling approach. 2) the stuck microphone, leaving tower unable to communicate on the tower frequency with either aircraft was a problem. In the operation of our own aircraft, if we would have slowed during the vectors for the approach, the incident might have been avoided since the A320 would not have been a factor by the time we started the circling maneuver.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C560 LNDG LGB. MISSED APCH DUE TO NORAD A320 IN PATTERN.

Narrative: RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS FOR ILS RWY 30 APCH INTO LGB ARPT AT APPROX XA00 LCL TIME. APPROX 2 MI FROM GS INTERCEPT (FAF), WE WERE HANDED OFF TO THE LGB TWR. AFTER CHKING IN WITH TWR, ACR X CHKED IN AND SAID THEY NEEDED THE CIRCLING APCH. A FEW SECONDS LATER, TWR CANCELLED OUR APCH CLRNC AND GAVE US 'MAINTAIN 1600 FT, TURN L HDG 180 DEGS' WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION AND HANDED US BACK TO APCH. WE WERE RE-VECTORED FOR THE APCH AND INSTRUCTED 'NOT TO EXCEED 160 KTS.' APPROX 3 MINS LATER, WE WERE ON VECTORS FOR THE ILS RWY 30, CIRCLE-TO-LAND 12 APCH. AFTER SWITCHING TO TWR, WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH AND TOLD THERE WAS AN A320 ON THE SAME APCH AT MID-FIELD. WE WERE ASSIGNED 160 KIAS TO THE MARKER. WE FLEW 160 KIAS TO THE MARKER AND THEN REDUCED OUR SPD TO VREF + 20 KTS (121 KIAS) AS PER SOP'S. WE EXECUTED THE APCH AND 'BROKE OUT' AT APPROX 1000 FT MSL, DSNDED TO THE MDA OF 820 FT MSL, AND STARTED TO CIRCLE N AS INSTRUCTED. DURING THE CIRCLE, IT WAS APPARENT (TO US) THAT SOMEONE HAD A STUCK MIKE. WE CHKED OUR RADIOS AND STARTED MONITORING THE OTHER TWR FREQS (119.4) AS WELL AS THE ASSIGNED TWR FREQ IN THE HOPE WE COULD HEAR TWR, WHICH WAS SUCCESSFUL. IT WAS ALSO EVIDENT THAT AN ACR X WAS APPROX 2-4 MI FROM THE ARPT TURNING FINAL AND OUTSIDE OF THE PROTECTED AIRSPACE AREA FOR THE CIRCLING APCH. WE COULD HEAR TWR TRYING TO TELL THE A320 TO GO MISSED WITH ALTERNATE MISSED APCH INSTRUCTIONS, BUT THEY PROBABLY COULDN'T HEAR AS THEY WERE NOT MONITORING THE OTHER FREQ (OUR ASSUMPTION), WHICH HAD A STUCK MIKE. IT BECAME APPARENT TO US THAT IT WAS AN UNSAFE SIT AS 2 JET ACFT WERE IN CLOSE PROX IN LOW VISIBILITY WITH NORAD. FURTHERMORE, WE WERE FAST APCHING OUR PROTECTED AIRSPACE LIMIT (1.7 MI FOR CAT C APCH) FOR CIRCLING APCHS. JUST AS WE WERE STARTING TO MOVE THE PWR LEVERS FOR THE MISSED APCH, TWR INSTRUCTED US TO EXECUTE THE 'PUBLISHED MISSED APCH,' WHICH WAS 'CLB TO 800 FT, L TURN HDG 200 DEGS, THEN CLB TO 2500 FT.' AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 1200 FT MSL, TWR SWITCHED US TO APCH. AT 1700 FT MSL, (CLBING -- AS PER THE PUBLISHED MISSED APCH), WE CHKED IN WITH APCH, AND THEY TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 1600 FT MSL. BY THE TIME WE LEVELED OFF AND STARTED THE DSCNT BACK TO 1600 FT MSL, WE WERE AT 1950 FT MSL. WE EXECUTED THE DSCNT AND PERFORMED THE 'MISSED APCH CHKLIST' AS PER OPERATING SPECS. WE WERE AGAIN VECTORED FOR THE APCH TO ILS RWY 30, CIRCLE-TO-LAND RWY 12 WITHOUT INCIDENT AND MADE A FULL-STOP LNDG. UPON LNDG, TWR APOLOGIZED AND SAID THEY BELIEVED ACR X HAD A STUCK MIKE. DURING THE CIRCLING APCH, WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE A320 IN OUR SIGHT AND NEVER LOST SIGHT OF THE ACFT UNTIL WE EXECUTED THE MISSED APCH. WE WERE NEVER IN THREAT OF A 'NEAR MISS' WITH THE A320. IN OUR (CREW) OPINION, CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCIDENT WAS: 1) THE A320'S VERY LONG BASE-TO-FINAL CIRCLING APCH. 2) THE STUCK MIKE, LEAVING TWR UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE ON THE TWR FREQ WITH EITHER ACFT WAS A PROB. IN THE OP OF OUR OWN ACFT, IF WE WOULD HAVE SLOWED DURING THE VECTORS FOR THE APCH, THE INCIDENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED SINCE THE A320 WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A FACTOR BY THE TIME WE STARTED THE CIRCLING MANEUVER.

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.