Narrative:

We were established on localizer runway 25L at 8000 ft MSL, cleared visual approach runway 25L. Approach control canceled our clearance and cleared us to descend on the localizer to 7000 ft. At 7000 ft, we slowed to 160 KTS and requested further descent, as we were full scale high on the GS. Approach cleared us to 6500 ft and asked us to report B737 traffic at 10 O'clock position. We reported traffic not in sight and again requested descent. (There are a lot of lights in las vegas.) approach requested us to report traffic 2 more times. We reported traffic 11 O'clock position 3 mi converging below us. Approach cleared us to follow that traffic to runway 25L. This was the first time we were told that an aircraft was being positioned in front of us. We quickly configured from 160 KTS to final approach speed of 142 KTS, flaps 40 degrees, expressing concern to approach over tight spacing. Approach suggested s-turn to the south and handed us off to the tower as we started turn to the south. Re-establishing the localizer at about 1300 ft AGL on the GS on speed 142 KTS, we encountered brief minor wake turbulence. We requested runway 25R from tower again expressing spacing concerns. Tower responded unable runway 25R and cleared us to land runway 25L. At 1000 ft AGL, traffic was less than 2 mi only 600 ft below, we informed tower and executed a go around. Left traffic was made for resequencing and normal approach and landing runway 25L was accomplished. Basically, approach tried to squeeze a plane in front of us, not informing us of their intentions until separation was compromised, hoping we could salvage their mistake. Our options were few. They left us high, we had already slowed and maneuvering space was limited. Stabilized at 1000 ft, 3 mi out, separation seemed compromised and a clear runway was doubtful, so we went around.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 FLT CREW EXECUTE A GAR TO LAS RWY 25L DUE TO TIGHT L30 APCH SPACING AND LAS TWR DENYING SIDESTEP TO RWY 25R.

Narrative: WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON LOC RWY 25L AT 8000 FT MSL, CLRED VISUAL APCH RWY 25L. APCH CTL CANCELED OUR CLRNC AND CLRED US TO DSND ON THE LOC TO 7000 FT. AT 7000 FT, WE SLOWED TO 160 KTS AND REQUESTED FURTHER DSCNT, AS WE WERE FULL SCALE HIGH ON THE GS. APCH CLRED US TO 6500 FT AND ASKED US TO RPT B737 TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK POS. WE RPTED TFC NOT IN SIGHT AND AGAIN REQUESTED DSCNT. (THERE ARE A LOT OF LIGHTS IN LAS VEGAS.) APCH REQUESTED US TO RPT TFC 2 MORE TIMES. WE RPTED TFC 11 O'CLOCK POS 3 MI CONVERGING BELOW US. APCH CLRED US TO FOLLOW THAT TFC TO RWY 25L. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WE WERE TOLD THAT AN ACFT WAS BEING POSITIONED IN FRONT OF US. WE QUICKLY CONFIGURED FROM 160 KTS TO FINAL APCH SPD OF 142 KTS, FLAPS 40 DEGS, EXPRESSING CONCERN TO APCH OVER TIGHT SPACING. APCH SUGGESTED S-TURN TO THE S AND HANDED US OFF TO THE TWR AS WE STARTED TURN TO THE S. RE-ESTABLISHING THE LOC AT ABOUT 1300 FT AGL ON THE GS ON SPD 142 KTS, WE ENCOUNTERED BRIEF MINOR WAKE TURB. WE REQUESTED RWY 25R FROM TWR AGAIN EXPRESSING SPACING CONCERNS. TWR RESPONDED UNABLE RWY 25R AND CLRED US TO LAND RWY 25L. AT 1000 FT AGL, TFC WAS LESS THAN 2 MI ONLY 600 FT BELOW, WE INFORMED TWR AND EXECUTED A GAR. L TFC WAS MADE FOR RESEQUENCING AND NORMAL APCH AND LNDG RWY 25L WAS ACCOMPLISHED. BASICALLY, APCH TRIED TO SQUEEZE A PLANE IN FRONT OF US, NOT INFORMING US OF THEIR INTENTIONS UNTIL SEPARATION WAS COMPROMISED, HOPING WE COULD SALVAGE THEIR MISTAKE. OUR OPTIONS WERE FEW. THEY LEFT US HIGH, WE HAD ALREADY SLOWED AND MANEUVERING SPACE WAS LIMITED. STABILIZED AT 1000 FT, 3 MI OUT, SEPARATION SEEMED COMPROMISED AND A CLR RWY WAS DOUBTFUL, SO WE WENT AROUND.

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.