Narrative:

I (air carrier X) was on a right downwind for runway 18R at charlotte- douglas airport talking to approach control on 119.0. At approximately 5 mi north of runway 18R and at an altitude of 6000 ft MSL, the approach controller began giving us a right turn to 090 degrees. I explained to the controller at that time that we would not be able to accomplish a visual approach to runway 18R from that position and he continued to give us turns to 180 degrees and have us continue descending. As we continued its right turn to 180 and descended per ATC's request, I reiterated our inability to be able to fly a safe visual pattern to runway 18R. Our position at this time was east of the centerline for runway 18L at charlotte. The approach controller then realizing the impasse then asked if we had runway 23 at charlotte. We acknowledged we had runway 23 in sight and he immediately cleared us for the visual to 23 and switched us to tower on 118.1. After switching to charlotte tower on 118.1 and commencing with the visual to runway 23, I looked up and saw another aircraft fast approaching our aircraft at the 7 O'clock position apparently on the visual to runway 23 also. Our TCASII is going off like crazy and I told the PF I saw the traffic and he was taking necessary measures to avoid our aircraft. We then landed on runway 23 at charlotte without further incident. Most of what I have just had described to you in this report happened within 6-7 mi of the charlotte airport at an altitude below 6000 ft MSL. A simple solution to this type of situation would be to have the ATC controllers extend aircraft far enough out on a downwind as to allow the aircraft safe and reasonable time as to conduct the approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X UNABLE TO COMPLETE VISUAL APCH MULTIPLE RWY OP PARALLEL RWYS ISSUED APCH RWY 23.

Narrative: I (ACR X) WAS ON A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18R AT CHARLOTTE- DOUGLAS ARPT TALKING TO APCH CTL ON 119.0. AT APPROX 5 MI N OF RWY 18R AND AT AN ALT OF 6000 FT MSL, THE APCH CTLR BEGAN GIVING US A R TURN TO 090 DEGS. I EXPLAINED TO THE CTLR AT THAT TIME THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18R FROM THAT POS AND HE CONTINUED TO GIVE US TURNS TO 180 DEGS AND HAVE US CONTINUE DSNDING. AS WE CONTINUED ITS R TURN TO 180 AND DSNDED PER ATC'S REQUEST, I REITERATED OUR INABILITY TO BE ABLE TO FLY A SAFE VISUAL PATTERN TO RWY 18R. OUR POS AT THIS TIME WAS E OF THE CTRLINE FOR RWY 18L AT CHARLOTTE. THE APCH CTLR THEN REALIZING THE IMPASSE THEN ASKED IF WE HAD RWY 23 AT CHARLOTTE. WE ACKNOWLEDGED WE HAD RWY 23 IN SIGHT AND HE IMMEDIATELY CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL TO 23 AND SWITCHED US TO TWR ON 118.1. AFTER SWITCHING TO CHARLOTTE TWR ON 118.1 AND COMMENCING WITH THE VISUAL TO RWY 23, I LOOKED UP AND SAW ANOTHER ACFT FAST APCHING OUR ACFT AT THE 7 O'CLOCK POS APPARENTLY ON THE VISUAL TO RWY 23 ALSO. OUR TCASII IS GOING OFF LIKE CRAZY AND I TOLD THE PF I SAW THE TFC AND HE WAS TAKING NECESSARY MEASURES TO AVOID OUR ACFT. WE THEN LANDED ON RWY 23 AT CHARLOTTE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. MOST OF WHAT I HAVE JUST HAD DESCRIBED TO YOU IN THIS RPT HAPPENED WITHIN 6-7 MI OF THE CHARLOTTE ARPT AT AN ALT BELOW 6000 FT MSL. A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO THIS TYPE OF SITUATION WOULD BE TO HAVE THE ATC CTLRS EXTEND ACFT FAR ENOUGH OUT ON A DOWNWIND AS TO ALLOW THE ACFT SAFE AND REASONABLE TIME AS TO CONDUCT THE APCH.

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.