Air carrier small transport passed medium large transport and large transport on triple close spaced...

Attributes
ACN	82657
Time
Date	198802
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1500 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	82657
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

With an large transport B on our left for runway 26L at den, stapleton, we were flying a visual approach to runway 26R. An small transport C (commuter service) aircraft was on a visual approach to runway 25. Upon passing the OM, the large transport B was parallel to us and the small transport C was behind to our right. The small transport passed us on the right at approximately 1500' AGL with 300-500' horizontal spacing. The distraction caused a 10 KT loss of airspeed to vref. The situation of 3 aircraft all nearly parallel for approach to their respective runways leaves the middle aircraft vulnerable and with few options. Staggered arrs would dramatically improve the safety of such an operation (3 parallel runways). Maintaining spacing once on final approach (no passing) would also help.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR SMT PASSED MLG AND LGT ON TRIPLE CLOSE SPACED PARALLEL APCHES.

Narrative: WITH AN LGT B ON OUR LEFT FOR RWY 26L AT DEN, STAPLETON, WE WERE FLYING A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26R. AN SMT C (COMMUTER SVC) ACFT WAS ON A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 25. UPON PASSING THE OM, THE LGT B WAS PARALLEL TO US AND THE SMT C WAS BEHIND TO OUR RIGHT. THE SMT PASSED US ON THE RIGHT AT APPROX 1500' AGL WITH 300-500' HORIZ SPACING. THE DISTR CAUSED A 10 KT LOSS OF AIRSPD TO VREF. THE SITUATION OF 3 ACFT ALL NEARLY PARALLEL FOR APCH TO THEIR RESPECTIVE RWYS LEAVES THE MIDDLE ACFT VULNERABLE AND WITH FEW OPTIONS. STAGGERED ARRS WOULD DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF SUCH AN OPERATION (3 PARALLEL RWYS). MAINTAINING SPACING ONCE ON FINAL APCH (NO PASSING) WOULD ALSO HELP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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 small transport passed medium large transport and large transport on triple close spaced parallel apches.