Narrative:

ATC facility: mia approach control. Location: 6 NM runway 9R. During vectoring for a visual approach to runway 9R mia, a possible loss of separation occurred between my flight on a 030 degree radar vector and an air carrier Y saab on a southwest heading. My clearance was fly a 030 degree heading, descend to 1500 ft and report the airport in sight. The controller was extremely busy. I had already briefed the crew to visually acquire and call traffic because I was not confident about the controller's awareness of everybody in the pattern sequence. I had previously been vectored for the runway 9R localizer intercept, and then cleared for the runway 9R ILS approach -- only to be subsequently vectored off the intercept and reclred the 030 degree heading, for a 'report the airport in sight.' while I think the controller was hoping for an early airport call to clear me for the visual, there were cumulus clouds at 2000 ft to 2500 ft affecting my ability to operate clear of clouds and to accept a visual approach. Apparently the saab captain had a similar clearance along the north side arrival. Because of continuous frequency congestion, I was unable to report the clouds and request the ILS or report the airport. Nonetheless, passing 2000 ft I used TCASII and visually acquired the opposing direction saab about 200 ft above my altitude and distance closing. I turned right to join the final and continued descending to 1500 ft. The saab, still above me, but very close horizontally, coincidentally rolled sharply left to runway 9L. During these maneuvers the controller asked if I had the airport in sight, and cleared me for a visual approach to runway 9R.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON APCH CTLR VECTORED B727 TO RWY 9R R BASE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR VISUAL APCH WITH SAAB ON L BASE RWY 9L, CLRING THE B727 FOR VISUAL APCH WITHOUT ENSURING TFC AND ARPT IN SIGHT. BOTH ACR PLTS APPARENTLY TOOK INITIATIVE TO TURN THEIR OWN FINAL AND CONDUCT APCH.

Narrative: ATC FACILITY: MIA APCH CTL. LOCATION: 6 NM RWY 9R. DURING VECTORING FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 9R MIA, A POSSIBLE LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED BTWN MY FLT ON A 030 DEG RADAR VECTOR AND AN ACR Y SAAB ON A SW HDG. MY CLRNC WAS FLY A 030 DEG HDG, DSND TO 1500 FT AND RPT THE ARPT IN SIGHT. THE CTLR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY. I HAD ALREADY BRIEFED THE CREW TO VISUALLY ACQUIRE AND CALL TFC BECAUSE I WAS NOT CONFIDENT ABOUT THE CTLR'S AWARENESS OF EVERYBODY IN THE PATTERN SEQUENCE. I HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN VECTORED FOR THE RWY 9R LOC INTERCEPT, AND THEN CLRED FOR THE RWY 9R ILS APCH -- ONLY TO BE SUBSEQUENTLY VECTORED OFF THE INTERCEPT AND RECLRED THE 030 DEG HDG, FOR A 'RPT THE ARPT IN SIGHT.' WHILE I THINK THE CTLR WAS HOPING FOR AN EARLY ARPT CALL TO CLR ME FOR THE VISUAL, THERE WERE CUMULUS CLOUDS AT 2000 FT TO 2500 FT AFFECTING MY ABILITY TO OPERATE CLR OF CLOUDS AND TO ACCEPT A VISUAL APCH. APPARENTLY THE SAAB CAPT HAD A SIMILAR CLRNC ALONG THE N SIDE ARR. BECAUSE OF CONTINUOUS FREQ CONGESTION, I WAS UNABLE TO RPT THE CLOUDS AND REQUEST THE ILS OR RPT THE ARPT. NONETHELESS, PASSING 2000 FT I USED TCASII AND VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE OPPOSING DIRECTION SAAB ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE MY ALT AND DISTANCE CLOSING. I TURNED R TO JOIN THE FINAL AND CONTINUED DSNDING TO 1500 FT. THE SAAB, STILL ABOVE ME, BUT VERY CLOSE HORIZLY, COINCIDENTALLY ROLLED SHARPLY L TO RWY 9L. DURING THESE MANEUVERS THE CTLR ASKED IF I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT, AND CLRED ME FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 9R.

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.