Narrative:

Medium large transport X atl-gso was instructed to descend and maintain 3500' MSL per greensboro approach. Medium large transport X aircraft vectored to downwind for runway 23 to follow an medium large transport Y on straight-in approach. Captain was flying and copilot handling communications. Approach control gave clearance to follow the medium large transport Y flight for a visibility approach. Small aircraft Z traffic called out at 4000' MSL by approach control. An aircraft was idented with extremely bright white lights on at 12-1 O'clock. Due to the possible conflict, and possibility of having not idented the traffic to follow properly by the captain, the downwind was extended. Copilot queried approach control again about the now 1 O'clock traffic while our flight maintained last assigned altitude of 3500' MSL and last assigned heading. Approach controller asked us to turn base at the same time and said the 4000' traffic had us in sight. Captain maneuvered aircraft in level turn while maintaining visibility with 4000' traffic. Conflicting traffic passed high and to the left. Immediately approach controller came on with another controller stating that when we were cleared for a visibility approach we were 'expected to descend.' minimum safe altitude on the 11-1 ILS 23 approach plate is 4100' and the flight crew had only been to gso once before and also at night. Due to our unfamiliarity with the airport, and due to our extended distance to the airfield, and due to the possibility of having misidented the traffic to follow, the most prudent course of action was to proceed with caution. When the approach control supervisor was telephoned by the captain upon arrival at gso approach control supervisor stated that controller training was in progress and that they thought we had been assigned 3000' MSL. Whatever the actual tapes show, a much more assertive approach control could have provided more adequate sep and direction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MLG X FAILED TO DESCEND ON THE VISUAL APCH CLRNC WHICH RESULTED IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FROM SMA Z.

Narrative: MLG X ATL-GSO WAS INSTRUCTED TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 3500' MSL PER GREENSBORO APCH. MLG X ACFT VECTORED TO DOWNWIND FOR RWY 23 TO FOLLOW AN MLG Y ON STRAIGHT-IN APCH. CAPT WAS FLYING AND COPLT HANDLING COMS. APCH CTL GAVE CLRNC TO FOLLOW THE MLG Y FLT FOR A VIS APCH. SMA Z TFC CALLED OUT AT 4000' MSL BY APCH CTL. AN ACFT WAS IDENTED WITH EXTREMELY BRIGHT WHITE LIGHTS ON AT 12-1 O'CLOCK. DUE TO THE POSSIBLE CONFLICT, AND POSSIBILITY OF HAVING NOT IDENTED THE TFC TO FOLLOW PROPERLY BY THE CAPT, THE DOWNWIND WAS EXTENDED. COPLT QUERIED APCH CTL AGAIN ABOUT THE NOW 1 O'CLOCK TFC WHILE OUR FLT MAINTAINED LAST ASSIGNED ALT OF 3500' MSL AND LAST ASSIGNED HDG. APCH CTLR ASKED US TO TURN BASE AT THE SAME TIME AND SAID THE 4000' TFC HAD US IN SIGHT. CAPT MANEUVERED ACFT IN LEVEL TURN WHILE MAINTAINING VIS WITH 4000' TFC. CONFLICTING TFC PASSED HIGH AND TO THE L. IMMEDIATELY APCH CTLR CAME ON WITH ANOTHER CTLR STATING THAT WHEN WE WERE CLRED FOR A VIS APCH WE WERE 'EXPECTED TO DSND.' MINIMUM SAFE ALT ON THE 11-1 ILS 23 APCH PLATE IS 4100' AND THE FLT CREW HAD ONLY BEEN TO GSO ONCE BEFORE AND ALSO AT NIGHT. DUE TO OUR UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT, AND DUE TO OUR EXTENDED DISTANCE TO THE AIRFIELD, AND DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING MISIDENTED THE TFC TO FOLLOW, THE MOST PRUDENT COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO PROCEED WITH CAUTION. WHEN THE APCH CTL SUPVR WAS TELEPHONED BY THE CAPT UPON ARR AT GSO APCH CTL SUPVR STATED THAT CTLR TRNING WAS IN PROGRESS AND THAT THEY THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED 3000' MSL. WHATEVER THE ACTUAL TAPES SHOW, A MUCH MORE ASSERTIVE APCH CTL COULD HAVE PROVIDED MORE ADEQUATE SEP AND DIRECTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.