Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure; Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory
Airport; Procedure
Potomac Approach put us close behind [Aircraft Y]; reported as 4.6nm in trail. Also reported that [Aircraft Y] was slowing. I had been assigned 210kts. I started to slow all the way to final approach speed to try to get additional spacing. Continued to approach at final approach speed from the 10nm fix into the airport. At 3nm DCA Tower placed an [Aircraft Z] out on 19 for departure. I used as much of the river as possible to get additional spacing but they didn't clear [Aircraft Z] to take off till we were at 2nm. At 1nm the Tower stated to the [Aircraft Z] that they needed an immediate take off. At 500ft AGL and rounding on final to runway [Aircraft Z] was still not aligned with the runway. I initiated a go around and we notified DCA Tower. We were given a heading off to the East and then vectored around for another approach.
PCT place a medium transport aircraft behind a heavy transport aircraft which landed on DCA Runway 19; but that did not allow the next aircraft's takeoff before it was on close in final. The medium transport aircraft executed a go-around.