Narrative:

We were being vectored for an ILS runway 4R at ewr, approximately 4.5 mi in trail of an air carrier erj. Approach control changes runway to runway 4L, and we are vectored to intercept a 20 mi final, told to maintain 180 KTS to the marker, and cleared for approach. We noted, via TCASII, that our spacing on the erj ahead was starting to decrease, and we adjusted our speed to keep our spacing. At 1400 ft MSL, with the erj over the approach lights, tower cleared a B757 into position and hold, to be ready for an immediate takeoff. The erj missed several turnoffs and delayed the B757's takeoff clearance. Once the erj cleared the runway, the B757 was cleared, no delay, to take off. We broke out of the overcast at 300-400 ft, and saw the B757 slowly rolling, about 500 ft from the landing threshold of runway 4L. Since it appeared that we would have touched down before the B757 would have broken ground, we elected to go around for a second approach. A normal landing was accomplished on the second attempt. ATC dropped several balls here. 1) not noting the high speed taxiway closures on the ATIS (they were in our NOTAM package). 2) trying to squeeze a departure in, when the runway is wet, in low visibility. 3) telling us to maintain 180 KTS to the marker in WX when we have less than 5 mi in trail of traffic ahead. (To be fair, we slowed below 180 KTS when we saw our spacing decrease. The erj crew seemed unaware of the 2 critical high speed txwys that were closed.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 FLC GO AROUND WHEN EWR TWR PUT A B757 IN POS FOR TKOF.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS RWY 4R AT EWR, APPROX 4.5 MI IN TRAIL OF AN ACR ERJ. APCH CTL CHANGES RWY TO RWY 4L, AND WE ARE VECTORED TO INTERCEPT A 20 MI FINAL, TOLD TO MAINTAIN 180 KTS TO THE MARKER, AND CLRED FOR APCH. WE NOTED, VIA TCASII, THAT OUR SPACING ON THE ERJ AHEAD WAS STARTING TO DECREASE, AND WE ADJUSTED OUR SPD TO KEEP OUR SPACING. AT 1400 FT MSL, WITH THE ERJ OVER THE APCH LIGHTS, TWR CLRED A B757 INTO POS AND HOLD, TO BE READY FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF. THE ERJ MISSED SEVERAL TURNOFFS AND DELAYED THE B757'S TKOF CLRNC. ONCE THE ERJ CLRED THE RWY, THE B757 WAS CLRED, NO DELAY, TO TAKE OFF. WE BROKE OUT OF THE OVCST AT 300-400 FT, AND SAW THE B757 SLOWLY ROLLING, ABOUT 500 FT FROM THE LNDG THRESHOLD OF RWY 4L. SINCE IT APPEARED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TOUCHED DOWN BEFORE THE B757 WOULD HAVE BROKEN GND, WE ELECTED TO GO AROUND FOR A SECOND APCH. A NORMAL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT. ATC DROPPED SEVERAL BALLS HERE. 1) NOT NOTING THE HIGH SPD TXWY CLOSURES ON THE ATIS (THEY WERE IN OUR NOTAM PACKAGE). 2) TRYING TO SQUEEZE A DEP IN, WHEN THE RWY IS WET, IN LOW VISIBILITY. 3) TELLING US TO MAINTAIN 180 KTS TO THE MARKER IN WX WHEN WE HAVE LESS THAN 5 MI IN TRAIL OF TFC AHEAD. (TO BE FAIR, WE SLOWED BELOW 180 KTS WHEN WE SAW OUR SPACING DECREASE. THE ERJ CREW SEEMED UNAWARE OF THE 2 CRITICAL HIGH SPD TXWYS THAT WERE CLOSED.

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.