B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors; Procedure
I cleared an Airbus on a Shead 7 Departure for take off. Behind him; I had a B737 also on the Shead. I waited until a point I would usually clear two aircraft to have IFR separation. The second B737 was about mid-field when rolling and I had noticed that the Airbus was dragging his landing gear (to cool the brakes) I knew this was going to slow the performance of the aircraft and I may not have the required 3 mile separation. During this; the second B737 was short final and executed a go-around. I gave interim climb-out instructions and obtained visual separation on the departing B737 rolling on the parallel runway (25R; go-around was on 25L). The plan was to turn the go-around B737 to a 190 heading away from departing traffic (turning southbound at 3 DME). I then went back to the two Shead departures; obtained visual separation and speed restricted the trailing aircraft. I then issued the coordinated 190 heading to the go-around B737 which he did not hear. I attempted to issue it again unsuccessfully. At this point the go-around aircraft was about a half mile off the departure end; and a 190 heading (at 220 KTS) would have been a factor to the previous two departures at ROPPR Intersection south of the airport. My Assist coordinated a runway heading to 7;000 for the go-around which I successfully issued. 3 miles west of the airport; the go-around B737 reported a TCAS on the aircraft he was maintaining visual separation on. The go-around B737 was conducting an ILS approach is VFR conditions. I didn't expect an aircraft on an ILS to be too high for landing; but it happened; fairly routine go-around. What took a lot of my attention was the Airbus dragging his gear. Things compiled after that.
We were on a Visual Approach to Runway 25L at LAS with strong gusty wind conditions. I got high on final and decided to go around. Tower told us that a Company aircraft was on take off leg on Runway 25R and that we were to fly runway heading and climb to 4;000 FT. We had Company in sight and were flying behind and to his left. We switched to Approach Control and I expected to get a left turn to downwind to de-conflict us from Company. Instead; we were told to climb to 7;000 FT with no heading change. We were roughly level with Company when he began a left turn in front of us on his departure. I was uncomfortable with this and turned about 15 degrees right to put our nose behind his tail to get spacing and to keep him in sight. I didn't ask Approach Control for permission since I felt I needed more separation immediately. Shortly thereafter I received a TCAS RA saying to descend. Since separation was now increasing rapidly. It was only a few seconds before we got a 'Clear of Conflict' call. I was visually maintaining separation during those seconds and never got my nose completely down and out of the TCAS red zone. Approach Control then turned us to downwind and I completed an uneventful landing. We maintained separation the entire time and nothing was said by Tower or Approach about the conflict. I'm not sure why Approach Control didn't say something and get us better separation. It all transpired pretty quickly and when I realized what was happening; I needed to make my own separation.
LAS Controller described a developing conflict event when traffic on final made an unexpected go around paralleling departure traffic form the same runway; the reporter listing the 'gear dragging' by the departure as distracting.