At sfo during landing flare, a B737 became concerned that traffic on rollout would not be clear of r...

Attributes
ACN	588873
Time
Date	200307
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfo.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfo.tower
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	ground : taxi landing : roll
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	588873
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : gnd radar system other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic flight crew : landed as precaution
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

When we went to tower and received landing clearance, the traffic we were following was 5 or 6 mi ahead on short final. As we passed through about 200 ft AGL he was at the far end of the runway 28L and appeared about halfway clear and moving off. By 50 ft AGL he was still clearing, but I thought the tip of his tail might be a problem. As I began to flare I thought he might still be a problem, but a go around at this point would be a 'touch and go.' continuing to a normal stop at the normal exit ('east' about midfield) seemed more prudent. As we decelerated to taxi speed he was obviously clear. Later I called the tower supervisor and he stated there was no conflict. He said their ground radar system would have clearly warned of any runway incursion. In retrospect I would have rested much easier had I communicated my concerns at 100 or 200 ft AGL when a safe go around would have been practical.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AT SFO DURING LNDG FLARE, A B737 BECAME CONCERNED THAT TFC ON ROLLOUT WOULD NOT BE CLR OF RWY.

Narrative: WHEN WE WENT TO TWR AND RECEIVED LNDG CLRNC, THE TFC WE WERE FOLLOWING WAS 5 OR 6 MI AHEAD ON SHORT FINAL. AS WE PASSED THROUGH ABOUT 200 FT AGL HE WAS AT THE FAR END OF THE RWY 28L AND APPEARED ABOUT HALFWAY CLR AND MOVING OFF. BY 50 FT AGL HE WAS STILL CLRING, BUT I THOUGHT THE TIP OF HIS TAIL MIGHT BE A PROB. AS I BEGAN TO FLARE I THOUGHT HE MIGHT STILL BE A PROB, BUT A GAR AT THIS POINT WOULD BE A 'TOUCH AND GO.' CONTINUING TO A NORMAL STOP AT THE NORMAL EXIT ('E' ABOUT MIDFIELD) SEEMED MORE PRUDENT. AS WE DECELERATED TO TAXI SPD HE WAS OBVIOUSLY CLR. LATER I CALLED THE TWR SUPVR AND HE STATED THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. HE SAID THEIR GND RADAR SYS WOULD HAVE CLRLY WARNED OF ANY RWY INCURSION. IN RETROSPECT I WOULD HAVE RESTED MUCH EASIER HAD I COMMUNICATED MY CONCERNS AT 100 OR 200 FT AGL WHEN A SAFE GAR WOULD HAVE BEEN PRACTICAL.

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.

At sfo during landing flare, a B737 became concerned that traffic on rollout would not be clear of runway.