ATC error at bna results in go around for MD80.

Attributes
ACN	583675
Time
Date	200306
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bna.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : bna.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	583675
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed go around
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We were cleared to land runway 31 at bna. After breaking out of the clouds at about 1500 ft AGL, I noticed some strange lights at the approach end of the runway. I thought it could be another airplane. I continued the approach to get a better look. At about 600 ft AGL, I was pretty sure it was another airplane and was just starting to ask the first officer to question the tower, when the pilot of the other airplane asked how much longer they would be in position. The tower immediately told us to go around. The next approach was uneventful. The airplane on the runway even had its flood lights on, and it was still hard to tell what it was until close in. Without the floods, it would have been really hard to notice. The other crew was sharp enough to question the tower about holding in position so long at night.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC ERROR AT BNA RESULTS IN GAR FOR MD80.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO LAND RWY 31 AT BNA. AFTER BREAKING OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT ABOUT 1500 FT AGL, I NOTICED SOME STRANGE LIGHTS AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY. I THOUGHT IT COULD BE ANOTHER AIRPLANE. I CONTINUED THE APCH TO GET A BETTER LOOK. AT ABOUT 600 FT AGL, I WAS PRETTY SURE IT WAS ANOTHER AIRPLANE AND WAS JUST STARTING TO ASK THE FO TO QUESTION THE TWR, WHEN THE PLT OF THE OTHER AIRPLANE ASKED HOW MUCH LONGER THEY WOULD BE IN POS. THE TWR IMMEDIATELY TOLD US TO GO AROUND. THE NEXT APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE AIRPLANE ON THE RWY EVEN HAD ITS FLOOD LIGHTS ON, AND IT WAS STILL HARD TO TELL WHAT IT WAS UNTIL CLOSE IN. WITHOUT THE FLOODS, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY HARD TO NOTICE. THE OTHER CREW WAS SHARP ENOUGH TO QUESTION THE TWR ABOUT HOLDING IN POS SO LONG AT NIGHT.

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.