Narrative:

We were on the ILS runway 25R (runway 25L closed for repairs) and heard tower ask departing air carrier flight if they could enter different SID for departure. They replied that it would take about 30 seconds and tower gave them the new SID. Meanwhile we are on the approach IFR and are cleared to land. When flight Y had the new SID entered; ATC cleared them for takeoff. When we broke out of the bases at approximately 1100 ft AGL the B777 was still on the taxiway. When we were approximately 800 ft AGL; lax tower cleared the B777 for an immediate takeoff. At this point they were still on the taxiway. The first officer was flying and continued the approach. We were expecting go around instruction from the tower but they never issued a go around and we continued the approach since the go around would put us over the departing B777. At approximately 100 ft the B777 was starting to rotate and we would have a clear runway to land; but we started getting into turbulence from the departing B777. The first officer initiated a go around; at this time we were approximately 1 mi behind the B777 and less than 100 ft. The tower gave USA left turn to 235 degrees (note: turn before the smo 160 degree radial) and the B777 a 250 degree heading for separation. We returned for an uneventful landing on runway 25R. The tower did apologize for the previous go around but should have canceled the takeoff clearance for the B777 since they were delaying their takeoff and had not entered the runway. Due to runway 25L being closed and lax tower not accustomed to landing and departing the same runway; I expect a learning curve on their part for the required separation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 EXECUTED GAR AT LAX RWY 25R AFTER ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURB FROM A B777 DEP RESULTING FROM A QUESTIONABLE SPACING CALL BY ATC.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE ILS RWY 25R (RWY 25L CLOSED FOR REPAIRS) AND HEARD TWR ASK DEPARTING ACR FLT IF THEY COULD ENTER DIFFERENT SID FOR DEP. THEY REPLIED THAT IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND TWR GAVE THEM THE NEW SID. MEANWHILE WE ARE ON THE APCH IFR AND ARE CLRED TO LAND. WHEN FLT Y HAD THE NEW SID ENTERED; ATC CLRED THEM FOR TKOF. WHEN WE BROKE OUT OF THE BASES AT APPROX 1100 FT AGL THE B777 WAS STILL ON THE TXWY. WHEN WE WERE APPROX 800 FT AGL; LAX TWR CLRED THE B777 FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF. AT THIS POINT THEY WERE STILL ON THE TXWY. THE FO WAS FLYING AND CONTINUED THE APCH. WE WERE EXPECTING GAR INSTRUCTION FROM THE TWR BUT THEY NEVER ISSUED A GAR AND WE CONTINUED THE APCH SINCE THE GAR WOULD PUT US OVER THE DEPARTING B777. AT APPROX 100 FT THE B777 WAS STARTING TO ROTATE AND WE WOULD HAVE A CLR RWY TO LAND; BUT WE STARTED GETTING INTO TURB FROM THE DEPARTING B777. THE FO INITIATED A GAR; AT THIS TIME WE WERE APPROX 1 MI BEHIND THE B777 AND LESS THAN 100 FT. THE TWR GAVE USA L TURN TO 235 DEGS (NOTE: TURN BEFORE THE SMO 160 DEG RADIAL) AND THE B777 A 250 DEG HDG FOR SEPARATION. WE RETURNED FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG ON RWY 25R. THE TWR DID APOLOGIZE FOR THE PREVIOUS GAR BUT SHOULD HAVE CANCELED THE TKOF CLRNC FOR THE B777 SINCE THEY WERE DELAYING THEIR TKOF AND HAD NOT ENTERED THE RWY. DUE TO RWY 25L BEING CLOSED AND LAX TWR NOT ACCUSTOMED TO LNDG AND DEPARTING THE SAME RWY; I EXPECT A LEARNING CURVE ON THEIR PART FOR THE REQUIRED SEPARATION.

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.