Narrative:

Substandard ATC approach controller performance: nice severe clear day at atl, landing runway 8L. Vectored off arrival on 180 degrees, then 150 degree landing, descending to cleared altitude of 5000 ft. Controller was swamped by radio chatter, with no opportunity for us to query controller's intentions. Controller gave us a 150 degree vector about 3 mi north of runway 8L localizer, but no intercept clearance. We flew across the runway 8L localizer, then the runway 9R localizer, over-flying an MD80 on the runway 9R localizer (we leveled off at 5500 ft to avoid TCASII RA). Controller finally saw us, cleared us back to 040 degree heading, still forcing us into a visual approach clearance. This controller was so busy talking, controller was losing track of the big picture. Had controller cleared us to intercept the final on her first vector, or on recovery vector, this incident would not have occurred. The 3 of us (company -300 first officer omc) saw this event unfold, and were well aware of other traffic, while asking ourselves just what the controller had in mind for us. However, the non-stop radio chatter prevented us from saving the situation. This is an ATC workload issue as far as clear issues. Our situational awareness was pretty good, better than the controller's.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BUSY ORD CTLR DOES NOT ISSUE INTERCEPT CLRNC TO A320 ON A VECTOR AND CAUSES AN OVERSHOOT AND CONFLICT WITH AN MD80 ON PARALLEL RWY.

Narrative: SUBSTANDARD ATC APCH CTLR PERFORMANCE: NICE SEVERE CLR DAY AT ATL, LNDG RWY 8L. VECTORED OFF ARR ON 180 DEGS, THEN 150 DEG LNDG, DSNDING TO CLRED ALT OF 5000 FT. CTLR WAS SWAMPED BY RADIO CHATTER, WITH NO OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO QUERY CTLR'S INTENTIONS. CTLR GAVE US A 150 DEG VECTOR ABOUT 3 MI N OF RWY 8L LOC, BUT NO INTERCEPT CLRNC. WE FLEW ACROSS THE RWY 8L LOC, THEN THE RWY 9R LOC, OVER-FLYING AN MD80 ON THE RWY 9R LOC (WE LEVELED OFF AT 5500 FT TO AVOID TCASII RA). CTLR FINALLY SAW US, CLRED US BACK TO 040 DEG HDG, STILL FORCING US INTO A VISUAL APCH CLRNC. THIS CTLR WAS SO BUSY TALKING, CTLR WAS LOSING TRACK OF THE BIG PICTURE. HAD CTLR CLRED US TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL ON HER FIRST VECTOR, OR ON RECOVERY VECTOR, THIS INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. THE 3 OF US (COMPANY -300 FO OMC) SAW THIS EVENT UNFOLD, AND WERE WELL AWARE OF OTHER TFC, WHILE ASKING OURSELVES JUST WHAT THE CTLR HAD IN MIND FOR US. HOWEVER, THE NON-STOP RADIO CHATTER PREVENTED US FROM SAVING THE SIT. THIS IS AN ATC WORKLOAD ISSUE AS FAR AS CLR ISSUES. OUR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WAS PRETTY GOOD, BETTER THAN THE CTLR'S.

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.