Narrative:

Dfw airport using 17L, 18R and 13R for approachs and landing. Original clearance was maintain a heading for intercept of localizer 13R. Then, maintain a heading, change approach frequency, maintain new heading, descend to 3000' MSL, intercept 18R localizer. Then cleared ILS 18R approach. Captain PF. Localizer 18R idented. Course selected. Just flying heading for intercept. Copilot's VOR turned to dfw VOR with localizer course selected. TCAS on TA/RA in 10 NM range with a cluttered screen. I recommended switching to 5 NM display to clear screen, but captain chose to read all traffic within 10 NM. While waiting for the intercept (approximately duration of incident 25 seconds) I pointed out TCAS traffic, 12 O'clock, only 800' above our altitude with range closing. I visually acquired the aircraft, called the traffic and said, 'we'll probably get a TCAS alert shortly.' coincidentally, we received a TCAS RA to descend, followed by a command to increase rate of descent, along with a call from approach control that we were flying through the localizer course. We had initiated a descent and began a steep right turn to re-intercept the localizer. Approach control requested if we had the airport in sight. We acknowledged and were cleared for a visibility approach. The 12 O'clock traffic also overshot its localizer, pulled nose up and executed a sharp left bank toward its localizer coincident with our maneuver. Conclusion: both air crews were distracted by RA's when they should have been turning to intercept localizer course. Recommendation: TCAS off when final approach controller frequency selected.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-LGT ACR-LGT, BOTH BEING VECTORED FOR VISUAL APCH TO INTERSECTING RWYS.

Narrative: DFW ARPT USING 17L, 18R AND 13R FOR APCHS AND LNDG. ORIGINAL CLRNC WAS MAINTAIN A HDG FOR INTERCEPT OF LOC 13R. THEN, MAINTAIN A HDG, CHANGE APCH FREQ, MAINTAIN NEW HDG, DSND TO 3000' MSL, INTERCEPT 18R LOC. THEN CLRED ILS 18R APCH. CAPT PF. LOC 18R IDENTED. COURSE SELECTED. JUST FLYING HDG FOR INTERCEPT. COPLT'S VOR TURNED TO DFW VOR WITH LOC COURSE SELECTED. TCAS ON TA/RA IN 10 NM RANGE WITH A CLUTTERED SCREEN. I RECOMMENDED SWITCHING TO 5 NM DISPLAY TO CLR SCREEN, BUT CAPT CHOSE TO READ ALL TFC WITHIN 10 NM. WHILE WAITING FOR THE INTERCEPT (APPROX DURATION OF INCIDENT 25 SECS) I POINTED OUT TCAS TFC, 12 O'CLOCK, ONLY 800' ABOVE OUR ALT WITH RANGE CLOSING. I VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE ACFT, CALLED THE TFC AND SAID, 'WE'LL PROBABLY GET A TCAS ALERT SHORTLY.' COINCIDENTALLY, WE RECEIVED A TCAS RA TO DSND, FOLLOWED BY A COMMAND TO INCREASE RATE OF DSNT, ALONG WITH A CALL FROM APCH CTL THAT WE WERE FLYING THROUGH THE LOC COURSE. WE HAD INITIATED A DSNT AND BEGAN A STEEP RIGHT TURN TO RE-INTERCEPT THE LOC. APCH CTL REQUESTED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND WERE CLRED FOR A VIS APCH. THE 12 O'CLOCK TFC ALSO OVERSHOT ITS LOC, PULLED NOSE UP AND EXECUTED A SHARP LEFT BANK TOWARD ITS LOC COINCIDENT WITH OUR MANEUVER. CONCLUSION: BOTH AIR CREWS WERE DISTRACTED BY RA'S WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN TURNING TO INTERCEPT LOC COURSE. RECOMMENDATION: TCAS OFF WHEN FINAL APCH CTLR FREQ SELECTED.

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.