Narrative:

Dca-lga. I was the line check pilot in right seat conducting IOE for new captain, who was the PF, flying localizer runway 31 lga in VMC conditions. Spacing with aircraft ahead 2.5 NM, tower told us to continue approach, no landing clearance. Aircraft ahead on landing rollout, we are 700 ft AGL, approximately 2.5 NM from runway 31. Tower clears a B737 for immediate takeoff runway 31. We are discussing the very likely impending go around at 400 ft AGL, 1.5 NM from runway. Tower tells us to go around, turn left heading 290 degrees, maintain 2000 ft. Immediately, second voice on tower frequency tells us to turn right 10 degrees, maintain 2000 ft. This puts us on approximately 325 degree heading. As we are climbing through 1300-1400 ft MSL, the B737 rises up in front of us (12-12:30 O'clock position) -- very close ahead. Simultaneously, the PF turns slightly left (10 degrees) and shallows our climb enough that the aircraft ahead opens right and above us. We are then directed to turn left to 260 degrees, climb to 3000 ft. Returned for uneventful approach and landing runway 31, lga. I spoke by phone with tower supervisor after landing. He informed me that training had been in progress, and that we were continued ahead instead of left turn to 290 degrees due to potential conflict with helicopter's just west of lga. We were, in his words, 'sandwiched in' and they did the only thing they could. This was single runway operations at lga. In my opinion, the conflict occurred because of saturation in this situation: spacing too tight on final, zeal on part of tower controllers to keep departures moving, and inexperience of controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGA TRAINEE CTLR ATTEMPTED TO DEPART TFC WITH ACFT ON A 1 PT 5 MI FINAL RESULTING IN A DIFFICULT GAR, CONFLICTING WITH A HELI OFF DEP END OF RWY 31 AT LGA.

Narrative: DCA-LGA. I WAS THE LINE CHK PLT IN R SEAT CONDUCTING IOE FOR NEW CAPT, WHO WAS THE PF, FLYING LOC RWY 31 LGA IN VMC CONDITIONS. SPACING WITH ACFT AHEAD 2.5 NM, TWR TOLD US TO CONTINUE APCH, NO LNDG CLRNC. ACFT AHEAD ON LNDG ROLLOUT, WE ARE 700 FT AGL, APPROX 2.5 NM FROM RWY 31. TWR CLRS A B737 FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF RWY 31. WE ARE DISCUSSING THE VERY LIKELY IMPENDING GAR AT 400 FT AGL, 1.5 NM FROM RWY. TWR TELLS US TO GO AROUND, TURN L HEADING 290 DEGS, MAINTAIN 2000 FT. IMMEDIATELY, SECOND VOICE ON TWR FREQ TELLS US TO TURN R 10 DEGS, MAINTAIN 2000 FT. THIS PUTS US ON APPROX 325 DEG HDG. AS WE ARE CLBING THROUGH 1300-1400 FT MSL, THE B737 RISES UP IN FRONT OF US (12-12:30 O'CLOCK POS) -- VERY CLOSE AHEAD. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE PF TURNS SLIGHTLY L (10 DEGS) AND SHALLOWS OUR CLB ENOUGH THAT THE ACFT AHEAD OPENS R AND ABOVE US. WE ARE THEN DIRECTED TO TURN L TO 260 DEGS, CLB TO 3000 FT. RETURNED FOR UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG RWY 31, LGA. I SPOKE BY PHONE WITH TWR SUPVR AFTER LNDG. HE INFORMED ME THAT TRAINING HAD BEEN IN PROGRESS, AND THAT WE WERE CONTINUED AHEAD INSTEAD OF L TURN TO 290 DEGS DUE TO POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH HELI'S JUST W OF LGA. WE WERE, IN HIS WORDS, 'SANDWICHED IN' AND THEY DID THE ONLY THING THEY COULD. THIS WAS SINGLE RWY OPS AT LGA. IN MY OPINION, THE CONFLICT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF SATURATION IN THIS SIT: SPACING TOO TIGHT ON FINAL, ZEAL ON PART OF TWR CTLRS TO KEEP DEPS MOVING, AND INEXPERIENCE OF CTLR.

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.