Narrative:

Sea approach cleared us on heading 190 degree to intercept 16R localizer at 5000' cleared for approach maintain 180 KTS to parkk, contact sea tower at parkk. While on heading 190 degree approach pointed out traffic at our 9-10 O'clock position. I acknowledged traffic, approach said traffic will follow behind us. After intercepting localizer, approach asked us if we had airport in sight. First officer acknowledged yes. Approach then cleared us for a visibility to (we thought 16R), contact tower at parkk. On localizer and G/south at approximately 2500', I heard a very loud roaring noise, looked up out the first officer's side window and saw an air carrier light transport Y passing us about 300-500' from us at a very fast speed. We were indicating 180 KTS as requested. I estimate the commuter Y was doing between 230-250 KTS. I immediately told approach that an aircraft Y just passed us real close on our right. I was very upset to say the least. The controller's response was what could he do about it. At that point I asked which runway was he going to. The controller said he was going to the right runway, you're going to the left runway. That's when it became apparent to us that the controller's intentions from the first was to have us land on 16L. Just inside parkk we contacted tower, tower cleared us to land on runway 16L. We landed on runway 16L with no further incident. Tower gave us a phone number and asked us to call the supervisor. While standing at the doorway, bidding goodby to passenger, many passenger commented on the aircraft Y that passed us real close on the approach. I acknowledged the fact and told them that I was going to investigate the situation. I then called tower supervisor and discussed the problem with him. He said he would call me back after listening to the tapes. He called me back in about 5 min later and said evidently we, air carrier widebody transport X, misunderstood the clearance for approach to runway 16L. The commuter Y was cleared for approach to runway 16R. I acknowledged the fact that I thought we were cleared for approach to runway 16R. I told him that the only problem that I had was with the commuter passing us so close and then pulling in front of us to take first position for runway 16R. The supervisor told me that no violation would be filed and the case was closed as far as he was concerned.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APPARENT NMAC FOR ACR WDB AND ACR LTT Y ON APCH TO SEA.

Narrative: SEA APCH CLRED US ON HDG 190 DEG TO INTERCEPT 16R LOC AT 5000' CLRED FOR APCH MAINTAIN 180 KTS TO PARKK, CONTACT SEA TWR AT PARKK. WHILE ON HDG 190 DEG APCH POINTED OUT TFC AT OUR 9-10 O'CLOCK POS. I ACKNOWLEDGED TFC, APCH SAID TFC WILL FOLLOW BEHIND US. AFTER INTERCEPTING LOC, APCH ASKED US IF WE HAD ARPT IN SIGHT. F/O ACKNOWLEDGED YES. APCH THEN CLRED US FOR A VIS TO (WE THOUGHT 16R), CONTACT TWR AT PARKK. ON LOC AND G/S AT APPROX 2500', I HEARD A VERY LOUD ROARING NOISE, LOOKED UP OUT THE F/O'S SIDE WINDOW AND SAW AN ACR LTT Y PASSING US ABOUT 300-500' FROM US AT A VERY FAST SPD. WE WERE INDICATING 180 KTS AS REQUESTED. I ESTIMATE THE COMMUTER Y WAS DOING BTWN 230-250 KTS. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD APCH THAT AN ACFT Y JUST PASSED US REAL CLOSE ON OUR R. I WAS VERY UPSET TO SAY THE LEAST. THE CTLR'S RESPONSE WAS WHAT COULD HE DO ABOUT IT. AT THAT POINT I ASKED WHICH RWY WAS HE GOING TO. THE CTLR SAID HE WAS GOING TO THE R RWY, YOU'RE GOING TO THE L RWY. THAT'S WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT TO US THAT THE CTLR'S INTENTIONS FROM THE FIRST WAS TO HAVE US LAND ON 16L. JUST INSIDE PARKK WE CONTACTED TWR, TWR CLRED US TO LAND ON RWY 16L. WE LANDED ON RWY 16L WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. TWR GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER AND ASKED US TO CALL THE SUPVR. WHILE STANDING AT THE DOORWAY, BIDDING GOODBY TO PAX, MANY PAX COMMENTED ON THE ACFT Y THAT PASSED US REAL CLOSE ON THE APCH. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE FACT AND TOLD THEM THAT I WAS GOING TO INVESTIGATE THE SITUATION. I THEN CALLED TWR SUPVR AND DISCUSSED THE PROB WITH HIM. HE SAID HE WOULD CALL ME BACK AFTER LISTENING TO THE TAPES. HE CALLED ME BACK IN ABOUT 5 MIN LATER AND SAID EVIDENTLY WE, ACR WDB X, MISUNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC FOR APCH TO RWY 16L. THE COMMUTER Y WAS CLRED FOR APCH TO RWY 16R. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE FACT THAT I THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED FOR APCH TO RWY 16R. I TOLD HIM THAT THE ONLY PROB THAT I HAD WAS WITH THE COMMUTER PASSING US SO CLOSE AND THEN PULLING IN FRONT OF US TO TAKE FIRST POS FOR RWY 16R. THE SUPVR TOLD ME THAT NO VIOLATION WOULD BE FILED AND THE CASE WAS CLOSED AS FAR AS HE WAS CONCERNED.

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.