Narrative:

On approach into okc, we were held up at 4000 ft MSL due to lower traffic. Approach turned us onto final at 4000 ft and 4 mi from the airport. We advised approach we would not be able to land from this altitude. Approach then gave us a turn to 090 degrees and asked if we had the airport in sight, we said we did. Approach cleared us the visual approach to runway 17L from this point. They cleared us a left 360 degree turn. Started a descent to 2800 ft (marker altitude) when we got a TA and then an RA on lower unknown traffic. Procedure followed and descent stopped. RA showed traffic 500 ft below us. The first officer spotted the traffic. The RA was resolved, the traffic was kept in sight, we remained 'clear of conflict' and continued on to the airport. This controller, in our opinion, had no 'plan' for our approach! They kept us at 4000 ft and radar vectors inside the marker. A turn north certainly would have given us spacing as well as an opportunity to get down and prepared for a stabilized approach. Turning us on final at 4 mi at 4000 ft is not a plan! No advisory of the lower traffic was ever given, even though our TCASII eventually picked up the traffic. In my opinion, if the controller would have had a better plan then this entire matter would never have occurred. A TA also would have helped us out on our decision on when to descend.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING MANEUVER FOR FINAL APCH FLC RECEIVES TCASII RA.

Narrative: ON APCH INTO OKC, WE WERE HELD UP AT 4000 FT MSL DUE TO LOWER TFC. APCH TURNED US ONTO FINAL AT 4000 FT AND 4 MI FROM THE ARPT. WE ADVISED APCH WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LAND FROM THIS ALT. APCH THEN GAVE US A TURN TO 090 DEGS AND ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT, WE SAID WE DID. APCH CLRED US THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 17L FROM THIS POINT. THEY CLRED US A L 360 DEG TURN. STARTED A DSCNT TO 2800 FT (MARKER ALT) WHEN WE GOT A TA AND THEN AN RA ON LOWER UNKNOWN TFC. PROC FOLLOWED AND DSCNT STOPPED. RA SHOWED TFC 500 FT BELOW US. THE FO SPOTTED THE TFC. THE RA WAS RESOLVED, THE TFC WAS KEPT IN SIGHT, WE REMAINED 'CLR OF CONFLICT' AND CONTINUED ON TO THE ARPT. THIS CTLR, IN OUR OPINION, HAD NO 'PLAN' FOR OUR APCH! THEY KEPT US AT 4000 FT AND RADAR VECTORS INSIDE THE MARKER. A TURN N CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE GIVEN US SPACING AS WELL AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET DOWN AND PREPARED FOR A STABILIZED APCH. TURNING US ON FINAL AT 4 MI AT 4000 FT IS NOT A PLAN! NO ADVISORY OF THE LOWER TFC WAS EVER GIVEN, EVEN THOUGH OUR TCASII EVENTUALLY PICKED UP THE TFC. IN MY OPINION, IF THE CTLR WOULD HAVE HAD A BETTER PLAN THEN THIS ENTIRE MATTER WOULD NEVER HAVE OCCURRED. A TA ALSO WOULD HAVE HELPED US OUT ON OUR DECISION ON WHEN TO DSND.

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.