B737-300 flight crew cites a close call on landing with a citation at sat.

Attributes
ACN	690764
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sat.airport
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sat.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sat.tower
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Cessna Citation Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	690764
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On short final to sat runway 12R; we heard tower ask preceding citation jet to expedite off the runway. Citation wasn't exactly hurrying. I started thinking 'go around.' when we were approximately 50 ft AGL; citation cleared runway 12R to the left at taxiway D. When we were just about to touch down; I noticed the citation making a u-turn; crossing the runway; and exiting to the right. With no chance to go around; I immediately applied maximum braking upon touching down. It was very apparent that we were in no danger of hitting the citation; even if he were still on the runway. The citation finally cleared to the right. I asked tower what was going on; and he replied that the citation was on ground control. After we contacted ground; I asked the controller if she had cleared the citation to 'do what he had done.' she replied; emphatically; 'no. I asked him to exit to the right.' I told her that that was incredibly close; 'too close;' and she agreed. We were cleared to land many mi from the runway. It was obvious that the citation (of foreign registration) was confused at either the airport layout; the controller instructions; or both. The only ATC warning that alerted us to anything (before I asked tower) was tower asking the citation to 'expedite.' I appreciate the expeditious handling that many ATC facilities provide us. Houston; baltimore; and now; st louis; do a remarkable job of moving aircraft with minimal separation. I do believe; however; that more vigilance should be given with aircraft who are minimally separated. Given that I was about to make a go around until the citation did indeed exit the runway; I had no idea that he would turn around and taxi across the active; especially knowing that we were on short final. When I asked ground about the event; she sounded perturbed; but not too concerned. I feel otherwise. Had the runway been wet; or had we been heavier; or had the citation waited a few seconds more before making his u-turn maneuver; things may have been a lot different.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW CITES A CLOSE CALL ON LNDG WITH A CITATION AT SAT.

Narrative: ON SHORT FINAL TO SAT RWY 12R; WE HEARD TWR ASK PRECEDING CITATION JET TO EXPEDITE OFF THE RWY. CITATION WASN'T EXACTLY HURRYING. I STARTED THINKING 'GO AROUND.' WHEN WE WERE APPROX 50 FT AGL; CITATION CLRED RWY 12R TO THE L AT TXWY D. WHEN WE WERE JUST ABOUT TO TOUCH DOWN; I NOTICED THE CITATION MAKING A U-TURN; XING THE RWY; AND EXITING TO THE R. WITH NO CHANCE TO GO AROUND; I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED MAX BRAKING UPON TOUCHING DOWN. IT WAS VERY APPARENT THAT WE WERE IN NO DANGER OF HITTING THE CITATION; EVEN IF HE WERE STILL ON THE RWY. THE CITATION FINALLY CLRED TO THE R. I ASKED TWR WHAT WAS GOING ON; AND HE REPLIED THAT THE CITATION WAS ON GND CTL. AFTER WE CONTACTED GND; I ASKED THE CTLR IF SHE HAD CLRED THE CITATION TO 'DO WHAT HE HAD DONE.' SHE REPLIED; EMPHATICALLY; 'NO. I ASKED HIM TO EXIT TO THE R.' I TOLD HER THAT THAT WAS INCREDIBLY CLOSE; 'TOO CLOSE;' AND SHE AGREED. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND MANY MI FROM THE RWY. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE CITATION (OF FOREIGN REGISTRATION) WAS CONFUSED AT EITHER THE ARPT LAYOUT; THE CTLR INSTRUCTIONS; OR BOTH. THE ONLY ATC WARNING THAT ALERTED US TO ANYTHING (BEFORE I ASKED TWR) WAS TWR ASKING THE CITATION TO 'EXPEDITE.' I APPRECIATE THE EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING THAT MANY ATC FACILITIES PROVIDE US. HOUSTON; BALTIMORE; AND NOW; ST LOUIS; DO A REMARKABLE JOB OF MOVING ACFT WITH MINIMAL SEPARATION. I DO BELIEVE; HOWEVER; THAT MORE VIGILANCE SHOULD BE GIVEN WITH ACFT WHO ARE MINIMALLY SEPARATED. GIVEN THAT I WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A GAR UNTIL THE CITATION DID INDEED EXIT THE RWY; I HAD NO IDEA THAT HE WOULD TURN AROUND AND TAXI ACROSS THE ACTIVE; ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT WE WERE ON SHORT FINAL. WHEN I ASKED GND ABOUT THE EVENT; SHE SOUNDED PERTURBED; BUT NOT TOO CONCERNED. I FEEL OTHERWISE. HAD THE RWY BEEN WET; OR HAD WE BEEN HEAVIER; OR HAD THE CITATION WAITED A FEW SECONDS MORE BEFORE MAKING HIS U-TURN MANEUVER; THINGS MAY HAVE BEEN A LOT DIFFERENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.