Air carrier landing den was advised by ATC of FOD on the runway and elected to go around; reporter q...

Attributes
ACN	789020
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : den.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	789020
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : fod
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : executed go around
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport FAA ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

Cleared for landing runway 26 den. Aircraft ahead reported debris on the runway; reported as a 'piece of metal 6 inch wide and 2 ft long' in the touchdown zone (1ST 3000 ft) just right of centerline. We elected to go around; tower then issued a landing clearance to aircraft behind us; which they accepted. Switched to departure control; who then vectored us back for a close in approach back to runway 26. I asked if the runway had been inspected; he said it had not; and did not know why it needed to be. I told him there was FOD reported on the runway; and requested runway 35R; where we landed uneventfully. I called den tower supervisor after landing; and spoke with supervisor. I asked him why a landing clearance was offered to a potentially FOD'ed runway; and why it continued to be offered to other airplanes without the runway being inspected. He replied that based on the location and type of report; they would keep the runway open for pilots to decide on landing without inspecting it. I feel this is a potentially dangerous procedure; especially when the debris is reported as large piece of metal in the touchdown zone.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LNDG DEN WAS ADVISED BY ATC OF FOD ON THE RWY AND ELECTED TO GO AROUND; REPORTER QUESTIONS ATC'S CONTINUED USE OF THE SUBJECT RWY.

Narrative: CLRED FOR LNDG RWY 26 DEN. ACFT AHEAD RPTED DEBRIS ON THE RWY; RPTED AS A 'PIECE OF METAL 6 INCH WIDE AND 2 FT LONG' IN THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE (1ST 3000 FT) JUST R OF CTRLINE. WE ELECTED TO GO AROUND; TWR THEN ISSUED A LNDG CLRNC TO ACFT BEHIND US; WHICH THEY ACCEPTED. SWITCHED TO DEP CTL; WHO THEN VECTORED US BACK FOR A CLOSE IN APCH BACK TO RWY 26. I ASKED IF THE RWY HAD BEEN INSPECTED; HE SAID IT HAD NOT; AND DID NOT KNOW WHY IT NEEDED TO BE. I TOLD HIM THERE WAS FOD RPTED ON THE RWY; AND REQUESTED RWY 35R; WHERE WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. I CALLED DEN TWR SUPVR AFTER LNDG; AND SPOKE WITH SUPVR. I ASKED HIM WHY A LNDG CLRNC WAS OFFERED TO A POTENTIALLY FOD'ED RWY; AND WHY IT CONTINUED TO BE OFFERED TO OTHER AIRPLANES WITHOUT THE RWY BEING INSPECTED. HE REPLIED THAT BASED ON THE LOCATION AND TYPE OF RPT; THEY WOULD KEEP THE RWY OPEN FOR PLTS TO DECIDE ON LNDG WITHOUT INSPECTING IT. I FEEL THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROC; ESPECIALLY WHEN THE DEBRIS IS RPTED AS LARGE PIECE OF METAL IN THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE.

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.

Air carrier landing den was advised by ATC of FOD on the runway and elected to go around; reporter questions ATC's continued use of the subject runway.