Narrative:

On approach to den runway 35L inside OM, last reported wind was 170 degrees at 8 KTS. We were cleared to land. Tower also controling runway 8 takeoffs and issuing winds to arrs and departures. Approximately 1000 ft AGL, tower issued winds of 170 degrees at 14 KTS. We asked for verification and after several calls to tower with no response, got reply of 170 degrees at 18 KTS. We were then over the approach lights and initiated a go around. We had a tailwind limit of 10 KTS for the MD88. We got an initial eastbound heading and 9000 ft altitude assigned and were handed over to approach who tried to vector us back for another approach to runway 35L. We declined, as this was what caused the go around in the first place. We requested a south runway. Approach and tower were very reluctant to answer our requests for current winds throughout this event. We landed on runway 16L in reported calm winds. Several mins later, on walkaround, definite south winds were apparent. Subsequent departure ATIS changed to reflect winds of 170 degrees at 12 KTS gusting to 17 KTS. ATC needs to be more cognizant of our need for timely wind information and not reluctant to give the winds based on a desire not to disrupt the traffic flow. My only guess as to the unusually difficult task of prying the winds from ATC was the winds must have been fluctuating somewhat and they felt if they held off reporting for a moment, perhaps the winds would fall back in line. As a pilot, I don't have that luxury. We need that information in a timely manner as requested to make the safety related decision to continue or abandon an approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 ON APCH TO DEN EXPERIENCED TAILWIND AND EXECUTED GAR.

Narrative: ON APCH TO DEN RWY 35L INSIDE OM, LAST RPTED WIND WAS 170 DEGS AT 8 KTS. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. TWR ALSO CTLING RWY 8 TKOFS AND ISSUING WINDS TO ARRS AND DEPS. APPROX 1000 FT AGL, TWR ISSUED WINDS OF 170 DEGS AT 14 KTS. WE ASKED FOR VERIFICATION AND AFTER SEVERAL CALLS TO TWR WITH NO RESPONSE, GOT REPLY OF 170 DEGS AT 18 KTS. WE WERE THEN OVER THE APCH LIGHTS AND INITIATED A GAR. WE HAD A TAILWIND LIMIT OF 10 KTS FOR THE MD88. WE GOT AN INITIAL EBOUND HDG AND 9000 FT ALT ASSIGNED AND WERE HANDED OVER TO APCH WHO TRIED TO VECTOR US BACK FOR ANOTHER APCH TO RWY 35L. WE DECLINED, AS THIS WAS WHAT CAUSED THE GAR IN THE FIRST PLACE. WE REQUESTED A S RWY. APCH AND TWR WERE VERY RELUCTANT TO ANSWER OUR REQUESTS FOR CURRENT WINDS THROUGHOUT THIS EVENT. WE LANDED ON RWY 16L IN RPTED CALM WINDS. SEVERAL MINS LATER, ON WALKAROUND, DEFINITE S WINDS WERE APPARENT. SUBSEQUENT DEP ATIS CHANGED TO REFLECT WINDS OF 170 DEGS AT 12 KTS GUSTING TO 17 KTS. ATC NEEDS TO BE MORE COGNIZANT OF OUR NEED FOR TIMELY WIND INFO AND NOT RELUCTANT TO GIVE THE WINDS BASED ON A DESIRE NOT TO DISRUPT THE TFC FLOW. MY ONLY GUESS AS TO THE UNUSUALLY DIFFICULT TASK OF PRYING THE WINDS FROM ATC WAS THE WINDS MUST HAVE BEEN FLUCTUATING SOMEWHAT AND THEY FELT IF THEY HELD OFF RPTING FOR A MOMENT, PERHAPS THE WINDS WOULD FALL BACK IN LINE. AS A PLT, I DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY. WE NEED THAT INFO IN A TIMELY MANNER AS REQUESTED TO MAKE THE SAFETY RELATED DECISION TO CONTINUE OR ABANDON AN APCH.

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.