Narrative:

We were cleared to execute a VOR DME B approach to hnl circling to land runway 8R. The procedure called for a line-up with runway 8R, over the runway, then execute a right turn to a right downwind to 8R. As we rolled out on downwind heading, 260 degrees, tower cleared air carrier Y flight for visibility approach to runway 4R--and intersecting flight path. I saw the traffic approximately 5-6 mi away and watched for movement. I observed no movement on the conflicting aircraft, and advised the captain to alter heading to cut quickly across the air carrier Y's flight path as a turn into the traffic would have put us head on at approximately the same altitude. I did have sight throughout the maneuver. Tower controller was overloaded and instructions given to aircraft most of the night were unclear and at times nonexistent. I believe his lack of assurance that air carrier Y had visibility contact with us prior to issuing the visibility approach to air carrier Y is a primary cause. Air carrier Y did not report visibility contact with us until approximately 1 mi from us. Supplemental information from acn 128603: while inbound on ILS to 4R hnl, an air carrier X medium large transport cut across our nose at a 90 degree angle, right to left. There were 3 air carrier trainers and 1 air carrier Y trainer in the area. Only 1 controller working approach, tower and ground control. Controllers sounded overloaded. Suggest either more controllers or fewer trainers.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-MLG ON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 4R AT HNL AND ACR-MLG TRAINER MAKING A SIMULATED VOR APCH TO RWY 8.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO EXECUTE A VOR DME B APCH TO HNL CIRCLING TO LAND RWY 8R. THE PROC CALLED FOR A LINE-UP WITH RWY 8R, OVER THE RWY, THEN EXECUTE A RIGHT TURN TO A RIGHT DOWNWIND TO 8R. AS WE ROLLED OUT ON DOWNWIND HDG, 260 DEGS, TWR CLRED ACR Y FLT FOR VIS APCH TO RWY 4R--AND INTERSECTING FLT PATH. I SAW THE TFC APPROX 5-6 MI AWAY AND WATCHED FOR MOVEMENT. I OBSERVED NO MOVEMENT ON THE CONFLICTING ACFT, AND ADVISED THE CAPT TO ALTER HDG TO CUT QUICKLY ACROSS THE ACR Y'S FLT PATH AS A TURN INTO THE TFC WOULD HAVE PUT US HEAD ON AT APPROX THE SAME ALT. I DID HAVE SIGHT THROUGHOUT THE MANEUVER. TWR CTLR WAS OVERLOADED AND INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO ACFT MOST OF THE NIGHT WERE UNCLEAR AND AT TIMES NONEXISTENT. I BELIEVE HIS LACK OF ASSURANCE THAT ACR Y HAD VIS CONTACT WITH US PRIOR TO ISSUING THE VIS APCH TO ACR Y IS A PRIMARY CAUSE. ACR Y DID NOT RPT VIS CONTACT WITH US UNTIL APPROX 1 MI FROM US. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 128603: WHILE INBND ON ILS TO 4R HNL, AN ACR X MLG CUT ACROSS OUR NOSE AT A 90 DEG ANGLE, RIGHT TO LEFT. THERE WERE 3 ACR TRAINERS AND 1 ACR Y TRAINER IN THE AREA. ONLY 1 CTLR WORKING APCH, TWR AND GND CTL. CTLRS SOUNDED OVERLOADED. SUGGEST EITHER MORE CTLRS OR FEWER TRAINERS.

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.