Narrative:

An airbus was a go-around from runway 35. The airbus was instructed to climb to 4;000 ft and fly heading 040. This is the standard go-around for runway 35 at msp; this puts the aircraft on a climbing turn directly over the top of msp. At the same time I was working runway 30L with a crj on about a 2 mile final with a second CRJ2 cleared for takeoff. The departing crj aircraft did not roll in a timely fashion. I cancelled the departing crj's takeoff and turned it off of the runway. The pilot acknowledge with 'blocked.' I again cancelled the departing crj's takeoff and turned them off the runway immediately. As the departing crj was turning and the landing crj was still on 1/2 to 1/4 mile final the asde-X alarmed and instructed me to go-around on runway 30L. I instructed the landing crj to fly heading 290 and maintain 3;000 ft. This placed the airbus and the landing crj both flying to the center of the airport; both climbing to altitudes. Today was VFR and we could see them and the landing crj and airbus could see each other. The reason for this report is the strict adherence to the asde-X logic put those aircraft on a converging path when one of them should have been landing. The departing crj aircraft was off of the runway and clear of the hold lines when the asde-X alarmed. There are times when the asde-X alarms that it is correct to send an aircraft around. There are other times like this one when the cause of the alarm is known and visible to the controllers. Some one has to give the controller authority to override the logic of a computer when every one knows why it is going off and can see standard separation exist or will be when the arriving aircraft is over the threshold. If this would have been a low ceiling IFR day both of these aircraft would have been on a converging course in the clouds. Computer logic is a great tool but it is just that; live eyes and a brain will always be better.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MSP Controller described an ASDE-X go around command resulting in a potential conflict. The Controller indicated that controllers should have alarm overriding authority when involved traffic is obviously not a factor.

Narrative: An Airbus was a go-around from Runway 35. The Airbus was instructed to climb to 4;000 FT and fly heading 040. This is the standard go-around for Runway 35 at MSP; this puts the aircraft on a climbing turn directly over the top of MSP. At the same time I was working Runway 30L with a CRJ on about a 2 mile final with a second CRJ2 cleared for takeoff. The departing CRJ aircraft did not roll in a timely fashion. I cancelled the departing CRJ's takeoff and turned it off of the runway. The pilot acknowledge with 'blocked.' I again cancelled the departing CRJ's takeoff and turned them off the runway immediately. As the departing CRJ was turning and the landing CRJ was still on 1/2 to 1/4 mile final the ASDE-X alarmed and instructed me to go-around on Runway 30L. I instructed the landing CRJ to fly heading 290 and maintain 3;000 FT. This placed the Airbus and the landing CRJ both flying to the center of the airport; both climbing to altitudes. Today was VFR and we could see them and the landing CRJ and Airbus could see each other. The reason for this report is the strict adherence to the ASDE-X logic put those aircraft on a converging path when one of them should have been landing. The departing CRJ aircraft was off of the runway and clear of the hold lines when the ASDE-X alarmed. There are times when the ASDE-X alarms that it is correct to send an aircraft around. There are other times like this one when the cause of the alarm is known and visible to the controllers. Some one has to give the controller authority to override the logic of a computer when every one knows why it is going off and can see standard separation exist or will be when the arriving aircraft is over the threshold. If this would have been a low ceiling IFR day both of these aircraft would have been on a converging course in the clouds. Computer logic is a great tool but it is just that; live eyes and a brain will always be better.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.