Narrative:

Conditions: IMC, ILS runway 34L narita, japan, first officer flying. Captain, PNF, vref 160 KTS, v-apch 171 KTS due to 11 KT wind gust, relief first officer in jumpseat. Approximately 10 NM out and cleared for approach, approach control asked our speed. I said 170 KTS and that's our minimum. Switched to tower and tower said continue approach and slow to minimum approach speed. I advised we were slowed to minimum. Tower then cleared one aircraft for takeoff and told a B747 to taxi into position runway 34L. We were still IMC and probably 5 mi out. At about 1000 ft AGL, the B747 was cleared for takeoff but probably was not yet in position. At 500 ft AGL, tower advised we would get a late landing clearance. We broke out of the clouds at 300 ft AGL to see the B747 slowly accelerating about 1/3 down the runway. I advised the crew that a go around would probably be worse for separation than landing. We continued the approach, got landing clearance below 70 ft AGL, and touched down just after the B747 broke ground. I would estimate separation at less than 5000 ft. I had an angry exchange with the tower controller after landing. The tower took full responsibility. Had we gone around and had an engine failure or communication problem, we would have flown directly over the B747. Had he rejected the takeoff, we would have been forced to do a low level go around in IMC conditions. Supplemental information from acn 611863: our crew was concerned that if we had gone missed approach we would have 'caught' departing B747 and would have returned to IMC. Landing flare and rollout uneventful except that encountered some wake turbulence from departing B747. Missed approach procedure was left turn at 600 ft. We would have been 'on top' of the B747 at 600 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 EXPERIENCED LTSS WITH A DEPARTING B747 WHILE LNDG AT NARITA, JAPAN.

Narrative: CONDITIONS: IMC, ILS RWY 34L NARITA, JAPAN, FO FLYING. CAPT, PNF, VREF 160 KTS, V-APCH 171 KTS DUE TO 11 KT WIND GUST, RELIEF FO IN JUMPSEAT. APPROX 10 NM OUT AND CLRED FOR APCH, APCH CTL ASKED OUR SPD. I SAID 170 KTS AND THAT'S OUR MINIMUM. SWITCHED TO TWR AND TWR SAID CONTINUE APCH AND SLOW TO MINIMUM APCH SPD. I ADVISED WE WERE SLOWED TO MINIMUM. TWR THEN CLRED ONE ACFT FOR TKOF AND TOLD A B747 TO TAXI INTO POS RWY 34L. WE WERE STILL IMC AND PROBABLY 5 MI OUT. AT ABOUT 1000 FT AGL, THE B747 WAS CLRED FOR TKOF BUT PROBABLY WAS NOT YET IN POS. AT 500 FT AGL, TWR ADVISED WE WOULD GET A LATE LNDG CLRNC. WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 300 FT AGL TO SEE THE B747 SLOWLY ACCELERATING ABOUT 1/3 DOWN THE RWY. I ADVISED THE CREW THAT A GAR WOULD PROBABLY BE WORSE FOR SEPARATION THAN LNDG. WE CONTINUED THE APCH, GOT LNDG CLRNC BELOW 70 FT AGL, AND TOUCHED DOWN JUST AFTER THE B747 BROKE GND. I WOULD ESTIMATE SEPARATION AT LESS THAN 5000 FT. I HAD AN ANGRY EXCHANGE WITH THE TWR CTLR AFTER LNDG. THE TWR TOOK FULL RESPONSIBILITY. HAD WE GONE AROUND AND HAD AN ENG FAILURE OR COM PROB, WE WOULD HAVE FLOWN DIRECTLY OVER THE B747. HAD HE REJECTED THE TKOF, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN FORCED TO DO A LOW LEVEL GAR IN IMC CONDITIONS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 611863: OUR CREW WAS CONCERNED THAT IF WE HAD GONE MISSED APCH WE WOULD HAVE 'CAUGHT' DEPARTING B747 AND WOULD HAVE RETURNED TO IMC. LNDG FLARE AND ROLLOUT UNEVENTFUL EXCEPT THAT ENCOUNTERED SOME WAKE TURB FROM DEPARTING B747. MISSED APCH PROC WAS L TURN AT 600 FT. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN 'ON TOP' OF THE B747 AT 600 FT.

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.