Narrative:

Flight from avl to atl (VFR day). We were with atl approach on our downwind leg for landing on runway 8L at atl. The previous controller told us to descend to 5000 ft and contact the next controller. We complied and we contacted atl final approach. When we checked in with the final controller we told the controller we were descending to 5000 ft and on our assigned heading of 270 degrees. About 40 seconds later, the controller told us to look for traffic at 1 O'clock position and we complied. About 1 min later, the controller told us to turn left to a heading of 180 degrees and we complied. About 50 seconds later, we heard from the controller call 'turn left to a heading of 120 degrees, intercept the localizer for runway 8L.' we complied. Once we completed the turn to a heading of 120 degrees, we noticed on TCASII traffic at our 11 O'clock position and about 1 mi, same altitude. At this time we tried to notify ATC. The controller seemed to be overloaded with aircraft. We started a right turn back to a heading of 180 degrees when the controller told us to turn to a heading of '180 degrees, traffic at your 11 O'clock position,' and the controller told us we complied with instructions of aircraft Y. We complied with instructions for 'our flight' and read back all instructions to the controller. We never complied with any instructions for aircraft Y. The controller was overloaded and the controller was looking on his radar screen and gave 'our flight' aircraft Y's heading instructions. Once the controller turned us 180 degree heading, we told the controller we had the traffic in sight and cleared us for the visual approach to runway 8L at atl. The flight landed without any other incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATR72 FLC WERE GIVEN ANOTHER ACFT'S HDG WHILE VFR ON A HIGH DOWNWIND LEG FOR ATL RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Narrative: FLT FROM AVL TO ATL (VFR DAY). WE WERE WITH ATL APCH ON OUR DOWNWIND LEG FOR LNDG ON RWY 8L AT ATL. THE PREVIOUS CTLR TOLD US TO DSND TO 5000 FT AND CONTACT THE NEXT CTLR. WE COMPLIED AND WE CONTACTED ATL FINAL APCH. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH THE FINAL CTLR WE TOLD THE CTLR WE WERE DSNDING TO 5000 FT AND ON OUR ASSIGNED HDG OF 270 DEGS. ABOUT 40 SECONDS LATER, THE CTLR TOLD US TO LOOK FOR TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK POS AND WE COMPLIED. ABOUT 1 MIN LATER, THE CTLR TOLD US TO TURN L TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS AND WE COMPLIED. ABOUT 50 SECONDS LATER, WE HEARD FROM THE CTLR CALL 'TURN L TO A HDG OF 120 DEGS, INTERCEPT THE LOC FOR RWY 8L.' WE COMPLIED. ONCE WE COMPLETED THE TURN TO A HDG OF 120 DEGS, WE NOTICED ON TCASII TFC AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS AND ABOUT 1 MI, SAME ALT. AT THIS TIME WE TRIED TO NOTIFY ATC. THE CTLR SEEMED TO BE OVERLOADED WITH ACFT. WE STARTED A R TURN BACK TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS WHEN THE CTLR TOLD US TO TURN TO A HDG OF '180 DEGS, TFC AT YOUR 11 O'CLOCK POS,' AND THE CTLR TOLD US WE COMPLIED WITH INSTRUCTIONS OF ACFT Y. WE COMPLIED WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR 'OUR FLT' AND READ BACK ALL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CTLR. WE NEVER COMPLIED WITH ANY INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACFT Y. THE CTLR WAS OVERLOADED AND THE CTLR WAS LOOKING ON HIS RADAR SCREEN AND GAVE 'OUR FLT' ACFT Y'S HDG INSTRUCTIONS. ONCE THE CTLR TURNED US 180 DEG HDG, WE TOLD THE CTLR WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT AND CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 8L AT ATL. THE FLT LANDED WITHOUT ANY OTHER INCIDENT.

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.