Date: 201506
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: SFO.Airport, CA
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class B SFO
ATC / advisory: TRACON NCT
Aircraft component: Speedbrake/Spoiler
Component problem: Improperly Operated
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Distraction
Second reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Automation Aircraft Other Automation; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Contributing factors: Airport; Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: While on final on a visual approach ATC directed us to maintain 180 kts until the bridge; while also following company aircraft abeam us on simultaneous visual approaches. After the bridge we began to slow configuring the aircraft and using flight spoilers. Inside of the bridge ATC (Tower) cleared an aircraft for takeoff on the 1R runway. The controller was stepped on a few times before they heard the call and began their take off roll. As pilot monitoring I monitored the status of the aircraft on takeoff roll and determined it was not going to be sufficient enough for us to continue our landing. At the same time I heard audible tone associated with a caution msg stating 'flight spoiler deployed' I immediately recognized this as pilot monitoring and retracted the flight spoilers. During this time I monitored the speed and did not see it go below the speed bucket. By this time it was assured the departing aircraft would not clear the runway crossing us in time for us to safely land and we therefore initiated a go around. ATC lack of adequate spacing between aircraft taking off and landing. ATC request to maintain such a fast speed so close to the runway. Over saturation of all elements causing distractions. Add a profile call out to 500 feet stating 'stabilized clear to land runway..... Check spoilers'. ATC to do a better job of spacing out aircraft instead of saturating pilots with speed restrictions and not allowing time to properly configure.


Second narrative: Neglecting to retract the flight spoilers when being fully configured; getting distracted with the aircraft on the takeoff roll. It is my normal practice to not take my hand off the flight spoilers when they are deployed; I will fortify this policy in the future; also we should not have been so distracted by the departing aircraft because a go around/missed approach is always an option. This not ATC's fault or the crews fault; it was mine for letting myself get distracted by things that can be mitigated by just going around. I am taking this as a learning experience so I don't repeat this error.


Synopsis: CRJ200 flight crew landing Runway 28L at SFO experiences a conflict with an aircraft departing Runway 1R. The spoilers were in use to slow to final approach speed and forgotten due to the distraction of the departing aircraft; until a CAS (Crew Alerting System) message indicates 'flight spoiler deployed'. The crew elects to go around.