A320 captain made a go-around close to touchdown when departing traffic was still on the runway.

Attributes
ACN	841856
Time
Date	200907
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	MSP.Airport
State Reference	MN
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Airbus Industrie Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Final Approach Initial Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Conflict Ground Conflict Less Severe

Narrative:

When we were at 800 AGL the tower cleared a 757 into position behind landing traffic. At 400 AGL the 757 was cleared for takeoff. At 200 AGL the 757 was about the 3000 foot mark on the landing threshold runway 30L. I went around at 200 ft AGL. Tower asked if we needed any assistance. We advised we went around due to an aircraft on the runway. The tower controller replied 'whatever'. This is becoming more typical of our ATC system. They have no first hand experience in the cockpit of an aircraft much less an air carrier cockpit and are not treating the dangers they create with any respect for the sake of expediency. 'Whatever' does not belong in the air traffic controller vocabulary. ATC is trying to move more aircraft than the airspace/runway permits. They exhibit non-caring attitudes because they are not aware of the consequences of their errors; in ATC clearances and procedures; and how they directly affect the aircraft involved. This is not a gameboy!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 Captain made a go-around close to touchdown when departing traffic was still on the runway.

Narrative: When we were at 800 AGL the tower cleared a 757 into position behind landing traffic. At 400 AGL the 757 was cleared for takeoff. At 200 AGL the 757 was about the 3000 foot mark on the landing threshold Runway 30L. I went around at 200 FT AGL. Tower asked if we needed any assistance. We advised we went around due to an aircraft on the runway. The tower controller replied 'whatever'. This is becoming more typical of our ATC system. They have no first hand experience in the cockpit of an aircraft much less an air carrier cockpit and are not treating the dangers they create with any respect for the sake of expediency. 'Whatever' does not belong in the air traffic controller vocabulary. ATC is trying to move more aircraft than the airspace/runway permits. They exhibit non-caring attitudes because they are not aware of the consequences of their errors; in ATC clearances and procedures; and how they directly affect the aircraft involved. This is not a Gameboy!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.