Narrative:

I was the captain of air carrier X the morning of may/xa/98. During the approach into atl, it was obvious that the controller was overloaded. There were numerous aircraft that were attempting to check in, obtain approach clearance, obtain lower altitudes, etc, all with limited degrees of success. In fact, we had been on the frequency (127.25) for approximately 2 or 3 mins without being able to check in with the controller. We were at 6000 ft MSL, 22 DME east of atlanta when we noticed an air carrier Y jet pass directly below us. We commented to each other that we were surprised we didn't receive a traffic call on him. At that point, approach control came up and asked 'air carrier X, are you up?' as soon as we answered 'affirmative, we're here' we were issued an immediate left turn to 270 degrees (we were heading 360 degrees at the time) and a descent to 5000 ft. We immediately saw the reason for the course and altitude changes -- there was an air carrier Y jet on a reciprocal collision course and co- altitude. I immediately disengaged the autoplt, rolled the aircraft to approximately 60-70 degrees angle of bank, and pulled the aircraft to the directed heading and altitude. We estimated we were somewhere inside a mile at the closest point to the B757. Had we been in IMC conditions, a 30 degree angle of bank turn would certainly have brought us much closer to the conflicting traffic, and we may possibly have hit it. I cannot overemphasize the role that TCASII could have played in this incident had it been installed. However, without TCASII, we relied instead on an overloaded controller and our own visual lookout -- the result of which led to a near miss and, under IMC conditions, could have been disastrous. TCASII installation on cargo aircraft must be given a much higher priority than it currently is receiving.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING VERY BUSY TFC PERIOD CTLR ISSUED IMMEDIATE TURN AND DSCNT TO ACR X. SIMULTANEOUSLY CREW SAW ACR Y ON COLLISION COURSE AND ACCELERATED DSCNT AND TURN.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT OF ACR X THE MORNING OF MAY/XA/98. DURING THE APCH INTO ATL, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE CTLR WAS OVERLOADED. THERE WERE NUMEROUS ACFT THAT WERE ATTEMPTING TO CHK IN, OBTAIN APCH CLRNC, OBTAIN LOWER ALTS, ETC, ALL WITH LIMITED DEGS OF SUCCESS. IN FACT, WE HAD BEEN ON THE FREQ (127.25) FOR APPROX 2 OR 3 MINS WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO CHK IN WITH THE CTLR. WE WERE AT 6000 FT MSL, 22 DME E OF ATLANTA WHEN WE NOTICED AN ACR Y JET PASS DIRECTLY BELOW US. WE COMMENTED TO EACH OTHER THAT WE WERE SURPRISED WE DIDN'T RECEIVE A TFC CALL ON HIM. AT THAT POINT, APCH CTL CAME UP AND ASKED 'ACR X, ARE YOU UP?' AS SOON AS WE ANSWERED 'AFFIRMATIVE, WE'RE HERE' WE WERE ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE L TURN TO 270 DEGS (WE WERE HDG 360 DEGS AT THE TIME) AND A DSCNT TO 5000 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY SAW THE REASON FOR THE COURSE AND ALT CHANGES -- THERE WAS AN ACR Y JET ON A RECIPROCAL COLLISION COURSE AND CO- ALT. I IMMEDIATELY DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT, ROLLED THE ACFT TO APPROX 60-70 DEGS ANGLE OF BANK, AND PULLED THE ACFT TO THE DIRECTED HDG AND ALT. WE ESTIMATED WE WERE SOMEWHERE INSIDE A MILE AT THE CLOSEST POINT TO THE B757. HAD WE BEEN IN IMC CONDITIONS, A 30 DEG ANGLE OF BANK TURN WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE BROUGHT US MUCH CLOSER TO THE CONFLICTING TFC, AND WE MAY POSSIBLY HAVE HIT IT. I CANNOT OVEREMPHASIZE THE ROLE THAT TCASII COULD HAVE PLAYED IN THIS INCIDENT HAD IT BEEN INSTALLED. HOWEVER, WITHOUT TCASII, WE RELIED INSTEAD ON AN OVERLOADED CTLR AND OUR OWN VISUAL LOOKOUT -- THE RESULT OF WHICH LED TO A NEAR MISS AND, UNDER IMC CONDITIONS, COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. TCASII INSTALLATION ON CARGO ACFT MUST BE GIVEN A MUCH HIGHER PRIORITY THAN IT CURRENTLY IS RECEIVING.

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.