An MD80 captain, landing at sat heard but could not see a mooney that had been cleared into position...

Attributes
ACN	615149
Time
Date	200404
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sat.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sat.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-82
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sat.tower
Make Model Name	M-20 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	615149
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic flight crew : executed go around
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We switched to sat tower about 7 mi out on visual final for runway 12R. Another carrier was just landing. Coming up on the marker, I heard the tower give 'position and hold runway 12R,' clearance to a mooney and thought that it seemed a bit tight. We were given clearance to land on runway 12R, but I sensed an impending go around, so I briefed the first officer (PF), to stand by for it and even briefly reviewed, 'toga, flaps 15 degrees, positive rate, gear up. We'll climb straight ahead and climb to 2000 ft, 3000 ft, or 4000 ft, depending on what they want.' at about 1000 ft afl, when no further clearance had been given to the mooney, I asked sat tower, 'is there an airplane on the runway?' much confusion ensued as the controller tried to raise the mooney, clarify its position, and get it to clear the runway. As we prepared to go around, the tower gave us the go around clearance at somewhere around 500 ft afl. I never did see an aircraft either on the runway or holding short, but got the impression that there were actually 2 mooney's involved. I did not call the tower afterwards (the flight attendants had one of those ridiculously short layovers).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CAPT, LNDG AT SAT HEARD BUT COULD NOT SEE A MOONEY THAT HAD BEEN CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD ON THE SAME RWY. WHEN QUESTIONED, SAT ISSUED A GAR.

Narrative: WE SWITCHED TO SAT TWR ABOUT 7 MI OUT ON VISUAL FINAL FOR RWY 12R. ANOTHER CARRIER WAS JUST LNDG. COMING UP ON THE MARKER, I HEARD THE TWR GIVE 'POS AND HOLD RWY 12R,' CLRNC TO A MOONEY AND THOUGHT THAT IT SEEMED A BIT TIGHT. WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 12R, BUT I SENSED AN IMPENDING GAR, SO I BRIEFED THE FO (PF), TO STAND BY FOR IT AND EVEN BRIEFLY REVIEWED, 'TOGA, FLAPS 15 DEGS, POSITIVE RATE, GEAR UP. WE'LL CLB STRAIGHT AHEAD AND CLB TO 2000 FT, 3000 FT, OR 4000 FT, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY WANT.' AT ABOUT 1000 FT AFL, WHEN NO FURTHER CLRNC HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THE MOONEY, I ASKED SAT TWR, 'IS THERE AN AIRPLANE ON THE RWY?' MUCH CONFUSION ENSUED AS THE CTLR TRIED TO RAISE THE MOONEY, CLARIFY ITS POS, AND GET IT TO CLR THE RWY. AS WE PREPARED TO GO AROUND, THE TWR GAVE US THE GAR CLRNC AT SOMEWHERE AROUND 500 FT AFL. I NEVER DID SEE AN ACFT EITHER ON THE RWY OR HOLDING SHORT, BUT GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE WERE ACTUALLY 2 MOONEY'S INVOLVED. I DID NOT CALL THE TWR AFTERWARDS (THE FLT ATTENDANTS HAD ONE OF THOSE RIDICULOUSLY SHORT LAYOVERS).

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.

An MD80 captain, landing at sat heard but could not see a mooney that had been cleared into position and hold on the same runway. When questioned, sat issued a go around.