B757-200
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors; Procedure
On the arrival to PUJ (Punta Cana); we were navigating to PIXAR then via BORIG intersection. At that time Santo Domingo ATC handed us off to PUJ Approach Control. PUJ Approach Control stated that we were number 5 then corrected that we were now number 6 for the approach to Runway 08. We both noted that Santa Domingo and primarily PUJ seemed to be getting a little saturated as we had to prompt and request lower altitudes to be in a position to start the VOR/DME 08 approach. PUJ Approach cleared us for VOR/DME Runway 08 approach via BORIG (IAF) at 4;000 FT to the approach arc which was 2;000 FT; [and] then he stated OLEPI at 3;000 FT. We were intercepting the final approach course and in communication for clarification with PUJ when he then cleared us to a visual to Runway 08. I stated that we were just in the process of turning to the final inbound course and still in IMC conditions and could not accept that VFR visual clearance. After intercepting the final course at OLEPI; we were in and out of IMC and during the initial descent; we saw for a moment; traffic about 2 miles ahead and below us. At that time seeing how close we felt we were to that traffic and what appeared to be closing the separation and still in IMC conditions we requested a go-around. Approach Control instructed us to a 360 heading; then radar vectored us back into sequence to the original Runway VOR/DME 08 approach; we complied and continued to a normal arrival and landing. Because of the numerous radio exchanges; confusion about the clearance altitude over OLEPI; clearance of the IFR / Visual approach and perceived aircraft separation; we felt we may have had an ATC deviation.
B757 First Officer reports a go-around during approach to MDPC due to a perceived loss of separation with the preceding aircraft. The flight is vectored around for a second VOR DME Runway 08 approach to a successful landing.