Narrative:

Approach was vectoring us for an ILS to runway 26R at atl. About 12 mi out approach told us to plan on switching over to runway 26L later in the approach when we had the field visually so he could work another aircraft, small transport into runway 26R. We then heard approach talking to the other aircraft who apparently had us in sight. Approach acknowledged he had us in sight--told us we were cleared for runway 26L and cleared the small transport aircraft for runway 26R. He also told the small transport to keep us in sight. Due to the poor visibility at this particular time, our attention was directed towards alignment for runway 26L. The visibility improved shortly thereafter and I reported us established for runway 26L (confirmed both visually and by navaids). Just as we had called tower confirming runway 26L, the captain caught sight of the small transport aircraft who apparently overshot the final course for runway 26R and was drifting towards us. The captain took prompt evasive action (non violent) and I noted the small transport turning back away from us. No one (not approach or tower) advised us of his close proximity! This whole procedure needs to be changed or at least re-evaluated. Our safety depended on the small transport aircraft driver's competence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-MLG GA-SMT DURING VISUAL APCH TO PARALLEL RWYS.

Narrative: APCH WAS VECTORING US FOR AN ILS TO RWY 26R AT ATL. ABOUT 12 MI OUT APCH TOLD US TO PLAN ON SWITCHING OVER TO RWY 26L LATER IN THE APCH WHEN WE HAD THE FIELD VISUALLY SO HE COULD WORK ANOTHER ACFT, SMT INTO RWY 26R. WE THEN HEARD APCH TALKING TO THE OTHER ACFT WHO APPARENTLY HAD US IN SIGHT. APCH ACKNOWLEDGED HE HAD US IN SIGHT--TOLD US WE WERE CLRED FOR RWY 26L AND CLRED THE SMT ACFT FOR RWY 26R. HE ALSO TOLD THE SMT TO KEEP US IN SIGHT. DUE TO THE POOR VIS AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME, OUR ATTN WAS DIRECTED TOWARDS ALIGNMENT FOR RWY 26L. THE VIS IMPROVED SHORTLY THEREAFTER AND I RPTED US ESTABLISHED FOR RWY 26L (CONFIRMED BOTH VISUALLY AND BY NAVAIDS). JUST AS WE HAD CALLED TWR CONFIRMING RWY 26L, THE CAPT CAUGHT SIGHT OF THE SMT ACFT WHO APPARENTLY OVERSHOT THE FINAL COURSE FOR RWY 26R AND WAS DRIFTING TOWARDS US. THE CAPT TOOK PROMPT EVASIVE ACTION (NON VIOLENT) AND I NOTED THE SMT TURNING BACK AWAY FROM US. NO ONE (NOT APCH OR TWR) ADVISED US OF HIS CLOSE PROX! THIS WHOLE PROC NEEDS TO BE CHANGED OR AT LEAST RE-EVALUATED. OUR SAFETY DEPENDED ON THE SMT ACFT DRIVER'S COMPETENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.