Narrative:

We were at 8000 ft on a heading of 040 degrees, approximately 10 mi southwest of ord, between layers, being vectored to runway 9R. The first officer was flying on autoplt at the time. It was extremely busy on approach control. I heard ATC give air carrier Y a heading. It took 3 times for the controller to understand what air carrier Y was reading back. During that exchange, I heard the controller and air carrier Y both say '260.' about 1 min later, I saw landing lights coming straight at us (it turned out to be air carrier Y). I looked at the TCASII and he was at our altitude and was about 6-7 mi away. I asked approach about the aircraft and he told us to turn to a 090 degree heading. The first officer began the turn. I told the first officer to be ready for a TCASII. Passing about 060 degrees we got a TCASII RA to descend. The first officer did a great job. He disconnected the autoplt and continued turning while going into a descent, just out to the 'red,' of 1100-1200 FPM. I told ATC we were descending for a TCASII. At no time did I lose sight of air carrier Y. He passed off our left about 1-2 mi and when he was abeam us, the TCASII was resolved. We were at about 7200 ft. I told ATC we could go to any altitude now and they wanted us to climb back to 8000 ft and said 'to turn to 260.' I responded with 8000 ft and said 'right to 260' since that was the way we were turning. He said to turn left, which we then did. He then asked air carrier Y if he was on a 360 degree heading and air carrier Y said he was on the 260 degree assigned. There was a short pause and I recall the controller saying 'sorry' to the air carrier Y. Shortly later, there was a new voice on ATC. We landed on runway 9R without any further problems. Channel 9 was on and several passenger commented on the TCASII. One seemed to know what had occurred. I told them that I had the aircraft in sight at all times and it wasn't that big of a deal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW EXPERIENCED TCASII RA WITH FOREIGN ACR ON APCH TO ORD AT 8000 FT UNDER C90 CTL.

Narrative: WE WERE AT 8000 FT ON A HEADING OF 040 DEGS, APPROX 10 MI SW OF ORD, BTWN LAYERS, BEING VECTORED TO RWY 9R. THE FO WAS FLYING ON AUTOPLT AT THE TIME. IT WAS EXTREMELY BUSY ON APCH CTL. I HEARD ATC GIVE ACR Y A HEADING. IT TOOK 3 TIMES FOR THE CTLR TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ACR Y WAS READING BACK. DURING THAT EXCHANGE, I HEARD THE CTLR AND ACR Y BOTH SAY '260.' ABOUT 1 MIN LATER, I SAW LNDG LIGHTS COMING STRAIGHT AT US (IT TURNED OUT TO BE ACR Y). I LOOKED AT THE TCASII AND HE WAS AT OUR ALT AND WAS ABOUT 6-7 MI AWAY. I ASKED APCH ABOUT THE ACFT AND HE TOLD US TO TURN TO A 090 DEG HDG. THE FO BEGAN THE TURN. I TOLD THE FO TO BE READY FOR A TCASII. PASSING ABOUT 060 DEGS WE GOT A TCASII RA TO DSND. THE FO DID A GREAT JOB. HE DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND CONTINUED TURNING WHILE GOING INTO A DSCNT, JUST OUT TO THE 'RED,' OF 1100-1200 FPM. I TOLD ATC WE WERE DSNDING FOR A TCASII. AT NO TIME DID I LOSE SIGHT OF ACR Y. HE PASSED OFF OUR L ABOUT 1-2 MI AND WHEN HE WAS ABEAM US, THE TCASII WAS RESOLVED. WE WERE AT ABOUT 7200 FT. I TOLD ATC WE COULD GO TO ANY ALT NOW AND THEY WANTED US TO CLB BACK TO 8000 FT AND SAID 'TO TURN TO 260.' I RESPONDED WITH 8000 FT AND SAID 'R TO 260' SINCE THAT WAS THE WAY WE WERE TURNING. HE SAID TO TURN L, WHICH WE THEN DID. HE THEN ASKED ACR Y IF HE WAS ON A 360 DEG HDG AND ACR Y SAID HE WAS ON THE 260 DEG ASSIGNED. THERE WAS A SHORT PAUSE AND I RECALL THE CTLR SAYING 'SORRY' TO THE ACR Y. SHORTLY LATER, THERE WAS A NEW VOICE ON ATC. WE LANDED ON RWY 9R WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBS. CHANNEL 9 WAS ON AND SEVERAL PAX COMMENTED ON THE TCASII. ONE SEEMED TO KNOW WHAT HAD OCCURRED. I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD THE ACFT IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES AND IT WASN'T THAT BIG OF A DEAL.

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.