An atx small transport got lost in the traffic pattern at clt.

Attributes
ACN	253761
Time
Date	199310
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2300 msl bound upper : 2300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 12000
ASRS Report	253761
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 2000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route to clt from 40N and approaching clt. ATC gave crew westerly course at 2300 ft MSL, in close vicinity of airport. Altitude was too high for visual approach and course was symbolic of a visual left base to either runway 18L or runway 18R. Crew understood ATC to advise we could expect runway 18L. At 2300 ft MSL, we saw runway 18L pass by left wing. No handoff to tower, and as we progressed west, we noted an medium large transport on approach (at our 2 O'clock position) to runway 18R. We then turned hard left (away from traffic) and lined up with runway 18L and contacted tower. There appeared to be a lack of definitive 'heads up' instructions by ATC including an earlier handoff to tower. As close as we were to the field we may have missed an ATC communication or failed to take more aggressive action.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATX SMT GOT LOST IN THE TFC PATTERN AT CLT.

Narrative: ENRTE TO CLT FROM 40N AND APCHING CLT. ATC GAVE CREW WESTERLY COURSE AT 2300 FT MSL, IN CLOSE VICINITY OF ARPT. ALT WAS TOO HIGH FOR VISUAL APCH AND COURSE WAS SYMBOLIC OF A VISUAL L BASE TO EITHER RWY 18L OR RWY 18R. CREW UNDERSTOOD ATC TO ADVISE WE COULD EXPECT RWY 18L. AT 2300 FT MSL, WE SAW RWY 18L PASS BY L WING. NO HDOF TO TWR, AND AS WE PROGRESSED W, WE NOTED AN MLG ON APCH (AT OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS) TO RWY 18R. WE THEN TURNED HARD L (AWAY FROM TFC) AND LINED UP WITH RWY 18L AND CONTACTED TWR. THERE APPEARED TO BE A LACK OF DEFINITIVE 'HEADS UP' INSTRUCTIONS BY ATC INCLUDING AN EARLIER HDOF TO TWR. AS CLOSE AS WE WERE TO THE FIELD WE MAY HAVE MISSED AN ATC COM OR FAILED TO TAKE MORE AGGRESSIVE ACTION.

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.