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Air carrier cleared for takeoff at hou is then instructed to hold position; controller issued go around to aircraft on final; ATC spacing judgement questioned.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 781183 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200804 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hou.airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : hou.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : takeoff roll |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : hou.tower |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | landing : go around |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 191 |
| ASRS Report | 781183 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 188 |
| ASRS Report | 781427 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : ground critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : rejected takeoff |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
As we were taxiing toward runway 12R we were told by tower there was an aircraft on a 4 NM final to the same runway and to taxi into position and hold on runway 12R; which we did. We were then subsequently cleared for takeoff and told to fly a specific heading. I; as the PF; didn't understand the heading we were told to fly so I queried the tower controller. The tower controller then told us to 'hold your position' which we interpreted as 'cancel your takeoff clearance.' the tower controller then said '(call sign) on a 3 NM final go around.' after he sent the aircraft on final around; he then reclred us for takeoff without any further incident. As a side note; after we were climbing out; the tower controller subsequently did the exact thing with the next aircraft behind us. He cleared him for takeoff then subsequently canceled his takeoff clearance. The 2 biggest problems with this incident were the nonstandard phraseology to cancel our takeoff clearance and tower's inadequate spacing between landing and departing aircraft. Listening to several of the tower controller's xmissions and observing his handling of aircraft; it was apparent that his experience level was low and that he wasn't comfortable with proper procedures. It appeared he was pushing the limits with aircraft spacing which was making him a bit nervous.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR CLEARED FOR TKOF AT HOU IS THEN INSTRUCTED TO HOLD POS; CTLR ISSUED GAR TO ACFT ON FINAL; ATC SPACING JUDGEMENT QUESTIONED.
Narrative: AS WE WERE TAXIING TOWARD RWY 12R WE WERE TOLD BY TWR THERE WAS AN ACFT ON A 4 NM FINAL TO THE SAME RWY AND TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 12R; WHICH WE DID. WE WERE THEN SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR TKOF AND TOLD TO FLY A SPECIFIC HDG. I; AS THE PF; DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE HDG WE WERE TOLD TO FLY SO I QUERIED THE TWR CTLR. THE TWR CTLR THEN TOLD US TO 'HOLD YOUR POS' WHICH WE INTERPED AS 'CANCEL YOUR TKOF CLRNC.' THE TWR CTLR THEN SAID '(CALL SIGN) ON A 3 NM FINAL GO AROUND.' AFTER HE SENT THE ACFT ON FINAL AROUND; HE THEN RECLRED US FOR TKOF WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT. AS A SIDE NOTE; AFTER WE WERE CLBING OUT; THE TWR CTLR SUBSEQUENTLY DID THE EXACT THING WITH THE NEXT ACFT BEHIND US. HE CLRED HIM FOR TKOF THEN SUBSEQUENTLY CANCELED HIS TKOF CLRNC. THE 2 BIGGEST PROBS WITH THIS INCIDENT WERE THE NONSTANDARD PHRASEOLOGY TO CANCEL OUR TKOF CLRNC AND TWR'S INADEQUATE SPACING BTWN LNDG AND DEPARTING ACFT. LISTENING TO SEVERAL OF THE TWR CTLR'S XMISSIONS AND OBSERVING HIS HANDLING OF ACFT; IT WAS APPARENT THAT HIS EXPERIENCE LEVEL WAS LOW AND THAT HE WASN'T COMFORTABLE WITH PROPER PROCS. IT APPEARED HE WAS PUSHING THE LIMITS WITH ACFT SPACING WHICH WAS MAKING HIM A BIT NERVOUS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.