Narrative:

At lga, on arrival we were sequenced for approach behind another carrier's airbus, and told to maintain 180 KTS to OM. Spacing was about 2 1/2 mi according to TCASII (a great tool to use for this). This spacing dropped to just a little over 2 mi. This, however, is typical these days to 'enhance capacity.' on short final we could see that the preceding aircraft had missed the last taxiway and was rolling to the end of the runway. We discussed and readied for a go around. On very short final, coming up over the end of the runway, we could no longer see anyone on the runway, and continued. At about 50 ft in the flare, power reducing, the tower controller told us to go around. We executed the rejected landing, touching down briefly prior to going around. Subsequent climb, approach and landing were uneventful. Tower apologized for late go around instruction. I think '2 mi' on final is capacity driven and is a bit too close. Aircraft are not very well illuminated at night and are difficult or impossible to see a mi or more away (for pilots and controllers). The runway 'looked clear.' in fact, I presume we just couldn't see the other aircraft that far away.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC SPACING IS SO TIGHT THAT A GAR IS MADE WHEN THE PRECEDING ACFT DOES NOT CLR THE RWY AT THE EXPECTED TURN OFF.

Narrative: AT LGA, ON ARR WE WERE SEQUENCED FOR APCH BEHIND ANOTHER CARRIER'S AIRBUS, AND TOLD TO MAINTAIN 180 KTS TO OM. SPACING WAS ABOUT 2 1/2 MI ACCORDING TO TCASII (A GREAT TOOL TO USE FOR THIS). THIS SPACING DROPPED TO JUST A LITTLE OVER 2 MI. THIS, HOWEVER, IS TYPICAL THESE DAYS TO 'ENHANCE CAPACITY.' ON SHORT FINAL WE COULD SEE THAT THE PRECEDING ACFT HAD MISSED THE LAST TXWY AND WAS ROLLING TO THE END OF THE RWY. WE DISCUSSED AND READIED FOR A GAR. ON VERY SHORT FINAL, COMING UP OVER THE END OF THE RWY, WE COULD NO LONGER SEE ANYONE ON THE RWY, AND CONTINUED. AT ABOUT 50 FT IN THE FLARE, PWR REDUCING, THE TWR CTLR TOLD US TO GO AROUND. WE EXECUTED THE REJECTED LNDG, TOUCHING DOWN BRIEFLY PRIOR TO GOING AROUND. SUBSEQUENT CLB, APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. TWR APOLOGIZED FOR LATE GAR INSTRUCTION. I THINK '2 MI' ON FINAL IS CAPACITY DRIVEN AND IS A BIT TOO CLOSE. ACFT ARE NOT VERY WELL ILLUMINATED AT NIGHT AND ARE DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE A MI OR MORE AWAY (FOR PLTS AND CTLRS). THE RWY 'LOOKED CLR.' IN FACT, I PRESUME WE JUST COULDN'T SEE THE OTHER ACFT THAT FAR AWAY.

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.