Narrative:

While landing at phl international on a visual approach to runway 35 we experienced a closer than normal encounter with a B737 which was landing on intersecting runway 27R ahead of us. Phl ATC will routinely land smaller jet and turboprop aircraft on the shorter runway 35 when in the runway 27R landing confign in VFR conditions to increase landing capacity. We were cleared for the runway 35 visual approximately 10 mi out at 170 KTS and were asked later by the tower at about 5 mi to maintain 150 KTS for 2 mi before slowing; which we did (approach speed; approximately 140 KTS). We were advised of the B737 traffic landing ahead of us on intersecting runway 27R a couple of times; but were unable to make visual contact until we were about 4 mi out. I was flying and the first officer (who had far more experience with this particular phl confign than me) gained visual contact before I did. When I acquired visual contact; we both agreed that the spacing was going to be tight and I had the first officer request an s-turn from tower (we had already been cleared to land). The tower approved and we widened out to the right. As we reentered final; it appeared we would have adequate separation behind the B737 as he landed and crossed in front of us. What we didn't anticipate was the rate at which the B737 slowed as he was touching down and; as was obvious later; his slightly early touchdown in an apparent attempt to make a turn-off near his gate. When we were on about a half-mi final the tower controller came on in a rather hurried voice and said; 'CL65 (as if about to say 'go around'...slight pause; then)...cleared to land.' we continued and landed without incident or further comment from tower. In addition; the thought arises if both aircraft decided a go around were necessary; the close proximity could be a far more serious situation! It seems that; in this case; the tower controller could have done a little better job of monitoring the situation in advance and assuring greater separation. Sometimes; perhaps; the operation becomes a bit too common-place and we try to play the tolerances a little too close.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON SHORT FINAL TO RWY 35 AT PHL; CL65 EXPERIENCES CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH B737 ON SIMULTANEOUS APCH TO RWY 27R.

Narrative: WHILE LNDG AT PHL INTL ON A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 35 WE EXPERIENCED A CLOSER THAN NORMAL ENCOUNTER WITH A B737 WHICH WAS LNDG ON INTERSECTING RWY 27R AHEAD OF US. PHL ATC WILL ROUTINELY LAND SMALLER JET AND TURBOPROP ACFT ON THE SHORTER RWY 35 WHEN IN THE RWY 27R LNDG CONFIGN IN VFR CONDITIONS TO INCREASE LNDG CAPACITY. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE RWY 35 VISUAL APPROX 10 MI OUT AT 170 KTS AND WERE ASKED LATER BY THE TWR AT ABOUT 5 MI TO MAINTAIN 150 KTS FOR 2 MI BEFORE SLOWING; WHICH WE DID (APCH SPD; APPROX 140 KTS). WE WERE ADVISED OF THE B737 TFC LNDG AHEAD OF US ON INTERSECTING RWY 27R A COUPLE OF TIMES; BUT WERE UNABLE TO MAKE VISUAL CONTACT UNTIL WE WERE ABOUT 4 MI OUT. I WAS FLYING AND THE FO (WHO HAD FAR MORE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PARTICULAR PHL CONFIGN THAN ME) GAINED VISUAL CONTACT BEFORE I DID. WHEN I ACQUIRED VISUAL CONTACT; WE BOTH AGREED THAT THE SPACING WAS GOING TO BE TIGHT AND I HAD THE FO REQUEST AN S-TURN FROM TWR (WE HAD ALREADY BEEN CLRED TO LAND). THE TWR APPROVED AND WE WIDENED OUT TO THE R. AS WE REENTERED FINAL; IT APPEARED WE WOULD HAVE ADEQUATE SEPARATION BEHIND THE B737 AS HE LANDED AND CROSSED IN FRONT OF US. WHAT WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE WAS THE RATE AT WHICH THE B737 SLOWED AS HE WAS TOUCHING DOWN AND; AS WAS OBVIOUS LATER; HIS SLIGHTLY EARLY TOUCHDOWN IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO MAKE A TURN-OFF NEAR HIS GATE. WHEN WE WERE ON ABOUT A HALF-MI FINAL THE TWR CTLR CAME ON IN A RATHER HURRIED VOICE AND SAID; 'CL65 (AS IF ABOUT TO SAY 'GAR'...SLIGHT PAUSE; THEN)...CLRED TO LAND.' WE CONTINUED AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT OR FURTHER COMMENT FROM TWR. IN ADDITION; THE THOUGHT ARISES IF BOTH ACFT DECIDED A GAR WERE NECESSARY; THE CLOSE PROX COULD BE A FAR MORE SERIOUS SITUATION! IT SEEMS THAT; IN THIS CASE; THE TWR CTLR COULD HAVE DONE A LITTLE BETTER JOB OF MONITORING THE SITUATION IN ADVANCE AND ASSURING GREATER SEPARATION. SOMETIMES; PERHAPS; THE OP BECOMES A BIT TOO COMMON-PLACE AND WE TRY TO PLAY THE TOLERANCES A LITTLE TOO CLOSE.

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.