Narrative:

Air carrier X mfe to dfw normal approachs to dfw, VFR, radar vectors on downwind for runway 18R. Heading 350 degree at 6000 ATC gives descent to 3000 ft. Right turn to 160 degree heading to pick up the ILS runway 18R. After passing through about a 090 degree heading control advises that this is not going to work and gives a turn back left to 310 degree level at 5000 ft. Then gives a descent to 4000 ft. This put us heading directly into oncoming traffic at 4000 ft on the ILS. I shallowed the descent. No evasive action taken. No TCASII installed on the airplane. Supplemental information from acn 190983. Vectors for approach to ILS for runway 18R at dfw, approach controller assigned a heading of 160 degree to intercept and to cross johan at 3000 ft or above. On heading and descending through approximately 5200 ft, controller issued a clearance to maintain 5000 ft, turn left to heading 310 degree. During turn we were cleared to 4000 ft and noticed inbound air carrier Y as we came through 360 degree heading. Believe air carrier Y was at 4000 ft. We stopped descent then received turn to 260 degree heading. Air carrier Y made slight right turn to avoid us. Once clear we descended and continued with vectors back to final and subsequent landing. Controller apologized and stated he had us confused with another aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X POSSIBLE LTSS WITH ACR Y AFTER DSCNT TO OCCUPIED ALT. POSSIBLE SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X MFE TO DFW NORMAL APCHS TO DFW, VFR, RADAR VECTORS ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18R. HDG 350 DEG AT 6000 ATC GIVES DSCNT TO 3000 FT. R TURN TO 160 DEG HDG TO PICK UP THE ILS RWY 18R. AFTER PASSING THROUGH ABOUT A 090 DEG HDG CTL ADVISES THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO WORK AND GIVES A TURN BACK L TO 310 DEG LEVEL AT 5000 FT. THEN GIVES A DSCNT TO 4000 FT. THIS PUT US HDG DIRECTLY INTO ONCOMING TFC AT 4000 FT ON THE ILS. I SHALLOWED THE DSCNT. NO EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN. NO TCASII INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 190983. VECTORS FOR APCH TO ILS FOR RWY 18R AT DFW, APCH CTLR ASSIGNED A HDG OF 160 DEG TO INTERCEPT AND TO CROSS JOHAN AT 3000 FT OR ABOVE. ON HDG AND DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 5200 FT, CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 5000 FT, TURN L TO HDG 310 DEG. DURING TURN WE WERE CLRED TO 4000 FT AND NOTICED INBOUND ACR Y AS WE CAME THROUGH 360 DEG HDG. BELIEVE ACR Y WAS AT 4000 FT. WE STOPPED DSCNT THEN RECEIVED TURN TO 260 DEG HDG. ACR Y MADE SLIGHT R TURN TO AVOID US. ONCE CLR WE DSNDED AND CONTINUED WITH VECTORS BACK TO FINAL AND SUBSEQUENT LNDG. CTLR APOLOGIZED AND STATED HE HAD US CONFUSED WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

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.