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Approach controller attempts to get an MD88 flight crew to accept a visual to runway 9R. Crew unable. Approach controller forgets that flight was on a vector and had not received their clearance for localizer intercept. Potential conflict ensued with traffic on runway 8L. Crew cites frequency congestion as cause of communication delay.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 370910 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199706 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : atl |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : atl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | L-1011 Tri-Star All Series |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival other enroute other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 30 |
| ASRS Report | 370910 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 6000 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error other |
Narrative:
Our flight was being vectored by approach control to runway 9R atl. ATC asked if we had visual conditions. I stated that we were at the base of clouds and did not see the runway. We were vectored to a heading of 070 degrees and were never given clearance to intercept the localizer. While on the assigned heading we crossed the localizer. I noticed an L1011 turning to the final approach course for runway 8L and I instructed the copilot, who was flying, to intercept the localizer. Radio communication between the controller and other aircraft was heavy. Eventually, I was able to cut in and ask if we had approach clearance. ATC replied yes and we continued the approach to landing. Approach control seemed to have forgotten about us and it was left to this crew to change course from a vectored heading to avoid another aircraft and line up for the approach. I feel that the ATC system momentarily broke down creating an unsafe situation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: APCH CTLR ATTEMPTS TO GET AN MD88 FLC TO ACCEPT A VISUAL TO RWY 9R. CREW UNABLE. APCH CTLR FORGETS THAT FLT WAS ON A VECTOR AND HAD NOT RECEIVED THEIR CLRNC FOR LOC INTERCEPT. POTENTIAL CONFLICT ENSUED WITH TFC ON RWY 8L. CREW CITES FREQ CONGESTION AS CAUSE OF COM DELAY.
Narrative: OUR FLT WAS BEING VECTORED BY APCH CTL TO RWY 9R ATL. ATC ASKED IF WE HAD VISUAL CONDITIONS. I STATED THAT WE WERE AT THE BASE OF CLOUDS AND DID NOT SEE THE RWY. WE WERE VECTORED TO A HDG OF 070 DEGS AND WERE NEVER GIVEN CLRNC TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. WHILE ON THE ASSIGNED HDG WE CROSSED THE LOC. I NOTICED AN L1011 TURNING TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR RWY 8L AND I INSTRUCTED THE COPLT, WHO WAS FLYING, TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. RADIO COM BTWN THE CTLR AND OTHER ACFT WAS HVY. EVENTUALLY, I WAS ABLE TO CUT IN AND ASK IF WE HAD APCH CLRNC. ATC REPLIED YES AND WE CONTINUED THE APCH TO LNDG. APCH CTL SEEMED TO HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT US AND IT WAS LEFT TO THIS CREW TO CHANGE COURSE FROM A VECTORED HDG TO AVOID ANOTHER ACFT AND LINE UP FOR THE APCH. I FEEL THAT THE ATC SYS MOMENTARILY BROKE DOWN CREATING AN UNSAFE SIT.
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.