Narrative:

Our route of flight was the rome 6 arrival to atl. Due to traffic congestion, we entered a holding pattern at rome. During the hold, other aircraft were cleared through our altitude as the sequence of aircraft was changed. We were cleared to continue the rome arrival 312 degree atl, speed increased to 300 KTS and slowed to 250 KTS. Approach control at this pint had a radio problem with several broken xmissions. At 11800' and slowing (approximately 270 KTS) rate of descent 500 FPM, approach control gave us a 30 degree turn to the left, to parallel traffic at 3 O'clock. During the turn we spotted an medium large transport Y approximately 600-800' directly above us and descending. The medium large transport Y was given turn to his right that separated us. The medium large transport Y speed and rate of descent was greater than ours. If approach control had not given both aircraft opp direction turns, the medium large transport Y would have descended into our aircraft with tragic results. Contributing factors: the air traffic control system is completely saturated at hub airports. The spacing is getting too tight. There are too many multiple function clrncs (heading, speed, crossing restrictions, frequency, changes). I hear numerous flts missing radio calls and misunderstanding their clrncs. We don't stay on the stars anymore, everyone is being vectored. This is opening the door for human error. We are going to have a major midair collision in the future. The present conditions are overloading the system, and are getting worse. Let's wake up before it's too late.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR FAILED TO PROVIDE STANDARD IFR SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 ACR ACFT UNDER HIS CONTROL.

Narrative: OUR RTE OF FLT WAS THE ROME 6 ARR TO ATL. DUE TO TFC CONGESTION, WE ENTERED A HOLDING PATTERN AT ROME. DURING THE HOLD, OTHER ACFT WERE CLRED THROUGH OUR ALT AS THE SEQUENCE OF ACFT WAS CHANGED. WE WERE CLRED TO CONTINUE THE ROME ARR 312 DEG ATL, SPD INCREASED TO 300 KTS AND SLOWED TO 250 KTS. APCH CTL AT THIS PINT HAD A RADIO PROB WITH SEVERAL BROKEN XMISSIONS. AT 11800' AND SLOWING (APPROX 270 KTS) RATE OF DSNT 500 FPM, APCH CTL GAVE US A 30 DEG TURN TO THE LEFT, TO PARALLEL TFC AT 3 O'CLOCK. DURING THE TURN WE SPOTTED AN MLG Y APPROX 600-800' DIRECTLY ABOVE US AND DSNDING. THE MLG Y WAS GIVEN TURN TO HIS RIGHT THAT SEPARATED US. THE MLG Y SPD AND RATE OF DSNT WAS GREATER THAN OURS. IF APCH CTL HAD NOT GIVEN BOTH ACFT OPP DIRECTION TURNS, THE MLG Y WOULD HAVE DSNDED INTO OUR ACFT WITH TRAGIC RESULTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THE AIR TFC CTL SYS IS COMPLETELY SATURATED AT HUB ARPTS. THE SPACING IS GETTING TOO TIGHT. THERE ARE TOO MANY MULTIPLE FUNCTION CLRNCS (HDG, SPD, XING RESTRICTIONS, FREQ, CHANGES). I HEAR NUMEROUS FLTS MISSING RADIO CALLS AND MISUNDERSTANDING THEIR CLRNCS. WE DON'T STAY ON THE STARS ANYMORE, EVERYONE IS BEING VECTORED. THIS IS OPENING THE DOOR FOR HUMAN ERROR. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A MAJOR MIDAIR COLLISION IN THE FUTURE. THE PRESENT CONDITIONS ARE OVERLOADING THE SYS, AND ARE GETTING WORSE. LET'S WAKE UP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

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.