Narrative:

Inbound from shv to mem on the walet arrival we were at 6000 ft. We contacted approach on 119.1 and were told expect 18R. At the 8 DME fix we were given a heading of 360 degrees and a descent to 5000 ft, speed 210 KTS, approximately 5 NM west of mem. We switched to the final controller 126.7. We were told to turn 020 degrees, descend to 2000 and traffic 12 O'clock is a 727. We acknowledge the turn, descent and traffic, then approach gave us a heading of 090 degrees, speed of 170 KTS. We were already at flight idle so the captain pulled up the nose slightly to slow down. When we rolled out, the 727 was at our 12 O'clock and about 1/2 mi, I was expecting another right turn for 18R because I assumed the 727 was on 18L because we were never told to follow the 727. At this point, another controller stepped in and asked us if we had the 727 in sight and speed 170 KTS. We acknowledged affirmative. It appeared at this time the 727 added power and pulled up their nose (possible TCASII alert). The controller then requested that we square off our base (already heading 090 degrees) to maintain some sort of distance. We had flown through the 18R centerline, and over near 18L centerline we expeditiously returned to 18R centerline and continued the approach at 170 KTS. Even after this the controller requested s-turns to the west. We also slowed further to 140 KTS to increase the distance. The 727 leveled on 18R and we followed 'landing normal.' after the flight, the captain went over to the crew of the 727 and talked to the first officer and so. The crew never knew we were there until the TCASII alerted them of our position. And they responded to the TCASII. The crew also stated that they were on tower frequency. I'm very concerned about what took place today because how can 2 airplanes at the same altitude and same airspace be on 2 different frequencys! If we were on the same frequency we both (727 and us) would have known we were on 18R. Even still, the controller didn't allow any space for us to maneuver, given our altitude, speed and rate of descent for traffic. This all could have been avoided if the controller simply would have said when he pointed out 727 'that's your traffic to follow.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RADAR VECTORING FOR APCH TO SAME RWY ASSIGNMENT AS B-727, RPTR'S LTT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE TOO CLOSE, CAUSING THE B- 727 TO REACT TO A TCASII RA.

Narrative: INBOUND FROM SHV TO MEM ON THE WALET ARR WE WERE AT 6000 FT. WE CONTACTED APCH ON 119.1 AND WERE TOLD EXPECT 18R. AT THE 8 DME FIX WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 360 DEGS AND A DSCNT TO 5000 FT, SPD 210 KTS, APPROX 5 NM W OF MEM. WE SWITCHED TO THE FINAL CTLR 126.7. WE WERE TOLD TO TURN 020 DEGS, DSND TO 2000 AND TFC 12 O'CLOCK IS A 727. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE TURN, DSCNT AND TFC, THEN APCH GAVE US A HDG OF 090 DEGS, SPD OF 170 KTS. WE WERE ALREADY AT FLT IDLE SO THE CAPT PULLED UP THE NOSE SLIGHTLY TO SLOW DOWN. WHEN WE ROLLED OUT, THE 727 WAS AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK AND ABOUT 1/2 MI, I WAS EXPECTING ANOTHER R TURN FOR 18R BECAUSE I ASSUMED THE 727 WAS ON 18L BECAUSE WE WERE NEVER TOLD TO FOLLOW THE 727. AT THIS POINT, ANOTHER CTLR STEPPED IN AND ASKED US IF WE HAD THE 727 IN SIGHT AND SPD 170 KTS. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AFFIRMATIVE. IT APPEARED AT THIS TIME THE 727 ADDED PWR AND PULLED UP THEIR NOSE (POSSIBLE TCASII ALERT). THE CTLR THEN REQUESTED THAT WE SQUARE OFF OUR BASE (ALREADY HDG 090 DEGS) TO MAINTAIN SOME SORT OF DISTANCE. WE HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE 18R CTRLINE, AND OVER NEAR 18L CTRLINE WE EXPEDITIOUSLY RETURNED TO 18R CTRLINE AND CONTINUED THE APCH AT 170 KTS. EVEN AFTER THIS THE CTLR REQUESTED S-TURNS TO THE W. WE ALSO SLOWED FURTHER TO 140 KTS TO INCREASE THE DISTANCE. THE 727 LEVELED ON 18R AND WE FOLLOWED 'LNDG NORMAL.' AFTER THE FLT, THE CAPT WENT OVER TO THE CREW OF THE 727 AND TALKED TO THE FO AND SO. THE CREW NEVER KNEW WE WERE THERE UNTIL THE TCASII ALERTED THEM OF OUR POS. AND THEY RESPONDED TO THE TCASII. THE CREW ALSO STATED THAT THEY WERE ON TWR FREQ. I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT TOOK PLACE TODAY BECAUSE HOW CAN 2 AIRPLANES AT THE SAME ALT AND SAME AIRSPACE BE ON 2 DIFFERENT FREQS! IF WE WERE ON THE SAME FREQ WE BOTH (727 AND US) WOULD HAVE KNOWN WE WERE ON 18R. EVEN STILL, THE CTLR DIDN'T ALLOW ANY SPACE FOR US TO MANEUVER, GIVEN OUR ALT, SPD AND RATE OF DSCNT FOR TFC. THIS ALL COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE CTLR SIMPLY WOULD HAVE SAID WHEN HE POINTED OUT 727 'THAT'S YOUR TFC TO FOLLOW.'

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.