Narrative:

We were on approach in VMC, expecting a visual approach clearance for 29L at msp. Approximately 7 mi southeast of the airport, we were assigned 4000 ft MSL and a 360 degree heading by approach. This was the last instruction we heard from them. When the time to turn onto the 29L localizer was imminent, the PNF called approach and asked if they wanted us to fly across the 29L localizer. There was no answer and we continued across the 29L localizer at 4000 ft and on a 360 degree heading. The PNF then switched to tower frequency and requested instructions. Tower answered and asked if we saw an X jet northeast of us. Still at 4000 ft, we looked to our right (northeast) and saw no traffic. The PF then banked left and saw the X jet passing well beneath on the 29R final. The PNF told tower we had X in sight and tower immediately cleared us for a visual to 29L. The PF continued in a left turn to reintercept the 29L final and we landed on 29L. After landing, we called approach on the phone. The X pilot had already talked to approach and said he had seen us overhead and descended to maintain spacing with us. The approach control supervisor told us that approach had descended the X to 3000 ft MSL when they lost radio contact with us so X would be protected. The approach control supervisor, after reviewing the tapes said it was obvious there had been a loss of radio contact and therefore he expected us to continue on a 360 degree heading at 4000 ft. He objected to the PF making a left turn to sight X but said he would not cite us for a deviation since X had passed far enough beneath us and we had him in sight and were quickly cleared for a visibility by tower. If we had to do this over, we would stay on a 360 degree heading at 4000 ft and try to reestablish radio contact while flying that heading and altitude regardless of being VMC. If no radio contact was regained, we would fly the standard lost communication procedure. We really appreciated the nonaccusative, professional manner this approach control supervisor used in discussing this matter with us. We plan to visit his facility soon to thank him and learn more about how we can work together to keep the system safe.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF CPR MDT LOST RADIO COM WITH APCH. SAW TFC PASS BELOW APPROX 1000 FT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON APCH IN VMC, EXPECTING A VISUAL APCH CLRNC FOR 29L AT MSP. APPROX 7 MI SE OF THE ARPT, WE WERE ASSIGNED 4000 FT MSL AND A 360 DEG HDG BY APCH. THIS WAS THE LAST INSTRUCTION WE HEARD FROM THEM. WHEN THE TIME TO TURN ONTO THE 29L LOC WAS IMMINENT, THE PNF CALLED APCH AND ASKED IF THEY WANTED US TO FLY ACROSS THE 29L LOC. THERE WAS NO ANSWER AND WE CONTINUED ACROSS THE 29L LOC AT 4000 FT AND ON A 360 DEG HDG. THE PNF THEN SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ AND REQUESTED INSTRUCTIONS. TWR ANSWERED AND ASKED IF WE SAW AN X JET NE OF US. STILL AT 4000 FT, WE LOOKED TO OUR R (NE) AND SAW NO TFC. THE PF THEN BANKED L AND SAW THE X JET PASSING WELL BENEATH ON THE 29R FINAL. THE PNF TOLD TWR WE HAD X IN SIGHT AND TWR IMMEDIATELY CLRED US FOR A VISUAL TO 29L. THE PF CONTINUED IN A L TURN TO REINTERCEPT THE 29L FINAL AND WE LANDED ON 29L. AFTER LNDG, WE CALLED APCH ON THE PHONE. THE X PLT HAD ALREADY TALKED TO APCH AND SAID HE HAD SEEN US OVERHEAD AND DSNDED TO MAINTAIN SPACING WITH US. THE APCH CTL SUPVR TOLD US THAT APCH HAD DSNDED THE X TO 3000 FT MSL WHEN THEY LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH US SO X WOULD BE PROTECTED. THE APCH CTL SUPVR, AFTER REVIEWING THE TAPES SAID IT WAS OBVIOUS THERE HAD BEEN A LOSS OF RADIO CONTACT AND THEREFORE HE EXPECTED US TO CONTINUE ON A 360 DEG HDG AT 4000 FT. HE OBJECTED TO THE PF MAKING A L TURN TO SIGHT X BUT SAID HE WOULD NOT CITE US FOR A DEV SINCE X HAD PASSED FAR ENOUGH BENEATH US AND WE HAD HIM IN SIGHT AND WERE QUICKLY CLRED FOR A VIS BY TWR. IF WE HAD TO DO THIS OVER, WE WOULD STAY ON A 360 DEG HDG AT 4000 FT AND TRY TO REESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WHILE FLYING THAT HDG AND ALT REGARDLESS OF BEING VMC. IF NO RADIO CONTACT WAS REGAINED, WE WOULD FLY THE STANDARD LOST COM PROC. WE REALLY APPRECIATED THE NONACCUSATIVE, PROFESSIONAL MANNER THIS APCH CTL SUPVR USED IN DISCUSSING THIS MATTER WITH US. WE PLAN TO VISIT HIS FACILITY SOON TO THANK HIM AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP THE SYS SAFE.

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.