Narrative:

On our last leg for the day sof-mem we were being sequenced for landing on runway 27 mem. As we approached base to final for a 210 degree (heading assigned) I asked my captain for flaps 10. As I glanced over I noticed 2 large (and close) landing lights out his windows. I rolled the aircraft down and to the right while pointing out the other aircraft. At this point my captain assumed control of the aircraft and continued a steeper right bank and then began bringing us up. I told ATC our situation and what we were diverging for. I also asked what the other aircraft was doing there when we had already been cleared to follow traffic in front of us. I was told by someone I assume was the controller's supervisor that they showed no such aircraft. We were brought back around and sequenced for landing again. Although the controllers patronized us as if we were incompetent. After a normal landing I apologized to the passenger for the abrupt turn. After deplaning my ramper told me the passenger were commenting on what they thought was a very close near miss. I have learned to maintain greater vigilance in the terminal area since I am not safe and secure in ATC's hands as I thought. Also, upon further reflection, I should have maintained control or more correctly my captain should not have assumed the flying duties.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF LTT ON APCH TO MEM TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID AN ACFT IN CLOSE PROX. APCH CTLR DENIED THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT IN THAT AREA.

Narrative: ON OUR LAST LEG FOR THE DAY SOF-MEM WE WERE BEING SEQUENCED FOR LNDG ON RWY 27 MEM. AS WE APCHED BASE TO FINAL FOR A 210 DEG (HDG ASSIGNED) I ASKED MY CAPT FOR FLAPS 10. AS I GLANCED OVER I NOTICED 2 LARGE (AND CLOSE) LNDG LIGHTS OUT HIS WINDOWS. I ROLLED THE ACFT DOWN AND TO THE R WHILE POINTING OUT THE OTHER ACFT. AT THIS POINT MY CAPT ASSUMED CTL OF THE ACFT AND CONTINUED A STEEPER R BANK AND THEN BEGAN BRINGING US UP. I TOLD ATC OUR SITUATION AND WHAT WE WERE DIVERGING FOR. I ALSO ASKED WHAT THE OTHER ACFT WAS DOING THERE WHEN WE HAD ALREADY BEEN CLRED TO FOLLOW TFC IN FRONT OF US. I WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE I ASSUME WAS THE CTLR'S SUPVR THAT THEY SHOWED NO SUCH ACFT. WE WERE BROUGHT BACK AROUND AND SEQUENCED FOR LNDG AGAIN. ALTHOUGH THE CTLRS PATRONIZED US AS IF WE WERE INCOMPETENT. AFTER A NORMAL LNDG I APOLOGIZED TO THE PAX FOR THE ABRUPT TURN. AFTER DEPLANING MY RAMPER TOLD ME THE PAX WERE COMMENTING ON WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS A VERY CLOSE NEAR MISS. I HAVE LEARNED TO MAINTAIN GREATER VIGILANCE IN THE TERMINAL AREA SINCE I AM NOT SAFE AND SECURE IN ATC'S HANDS AS I THOUGHT. ALSO, UPON FURTHER REFLECTION, I SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED CTL OR MORE CORRECTLY MY CAPT SHOULD NOT HAVE ASSUMED THE FLYING DUTIES.

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.