Narrative:

Air carrier X cleared for the approach. ATIS was giving 500 ft, 10 mi visibility. After we passed the final approach fix the tower cleared an aircraft Y onto the runway and to be ready for takeoff he told us to let him know when we were on a 3 mi final. We told him we were at 3 mi (but we were still solid IFR, did not tell him). When we finally broke out we were about 250 ft above ground. Tower then cleared aircraft Y on the ground for takeoff, but then he realized we were too close to landing. He then told us to circle to land on runway 29. We then turned to the east trying to maintain visual to runway 29, but found we were low, about 200 ft or lower and could not make runway 29. I told tower we could not make runway 29 and would make a left turn and come back to runway 18. He approved that. At the same time air carrier airlines jet was cleared for the approach so there I was still on an IFR. I feel now that I should have went missed approach but the tower should not have cleared the airplane onto the runway to be ready for takeoff and they should not have cleared air carrier down to 2000 ft until I was on the ground.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X ON APCH HAD LTSS FROM ACFT Y IFR DEP. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X CLRED FOR THE APCH. ATIS WAS GIVING 500 FT, 10 MI VISIBILITY. AFTER WE PASSED THE FINAL APCH FIX THE TWR CLRED AN ACFT Y ONTO THE RWY AND TO BE READY FOR TKOF HE TOLD US TO LET HIM KNOW WHEN WE WERE ON A 3 MI FINAL. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE AT 3 MI (BUT WE WERE STILL SOLID IFR, DID NOT TELL HIM). WHEN WE FINALLY BROKE OUT WE WERE ABOUT 250 FT ABOVE GND. TWR THEN CLRED ACFT Y ON THE GND FOR TKOF, BUT THEN HE REALIZED WE WERE TOO CLOSE TO LNDG. HE THEN TOLD US TO CIRCLE TO LAND ON RWY 29. WE THEN TURNED TO THE E TRYING TO MAINTAIN VISUAL TO RWY 29, BUT FOUND WE WERE LOW, ABOUT 200 FT OR LOWER AND COULD NOT MAKE RWY 29. I TOLD TWR WE COULD NOT MAKE RWY 29 AND WOULD MAKE A L TURN AND COME BACK TO RWY 18. HE APPROVED THAT. AT THE SAME TIME ACR AIRLINES JET WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH SO THERE I WAS STILL ON AN IFR. I FEEL NOW THAT I SHOULD HAVE WENT MISSED APCH BUT THE TWR SHOULD NOT HAVE CLRED THE AIRPLANE ONTO THE RWY TO BE READY FOR TKOF AND THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE CLRED ACR DOWN TO 2000 FT UNTIL I WAS ON THE GND.

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