A DC9 FLC IS INSTRUCTED TO PERFORM A GAR BY TWR WHEN TOO CLOSE TO AN AIRBUS JUST TURNING OFF THE RWY AT DTW.

Narrative

13 MI FROM ARPT WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 21R. WE WERE FOLLOWING AN AIRBUS WHICH WE HAD A VISUAL ON; BUT WE DID NOT HAVE THE RWY IN SIGHT AT THAT TIME. WE FOLLOWED THE AIRBUS IN TOWARDS THE RWY. IT APPEARED THAT HE WAS MANEUVERING QUITE A BIT TO THE R OF THE RWY; THEN CORRECTED. WE DID GET THE RWY IN SIGHT AT THAT TIME. HE WAS BECOMING DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN SIGHT DUE TO THE LIGHTS ON AND NEAR THE ARPT. IT WAS JUST BECOMING DAWN. WE WERE NOW ON A 2 MI FINAL WHEN THE TWR INFORMED US WE WERE 1 1/2 MI AND 50 KTS FASTER. WE ATTEMPTED TO S-TURN; BUT WERE STILL CLOSE. TWR ADVISED THEN; TO THE AIRBUS; THAT WE WERE ON A 1/2 MI FINAL AND TO TAKE THE NEXT AVAILABLE TURNOFF. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED AND PROCEEDED TOWARDS THE NEXT TURNOFF. THEY WERE AT AN ANGLE STARTING TO TURN OFF WHEN WE WERE CLOSE TO TOUCHING DOWN. AT THAT POINT TWR ISSUED A GAR; WHICH WE IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN 'OK' TO LAND; BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSE. TWR MADE A CONSERVATIVE AND SOUND DECISION. AN UNEVENTFUL GAR WAS MADE TO A NORMAL LNDG.