Narrative:

On approach into bna, cleared to 2300 ft MSL on a heading of approximately 230 degrees to intercept the 20L localizer. 170 KTS. Before intercepting the GS, the approach controller gave us a heading to the sse, off the localizer in order to get spacing on the aircraft shooting the approach in front of us. This was followed by a number of instructions to turn to different headings during a short period of time. Also in this number of exchanges, I either asked about our altitude or was given a climb to 3300 ft by the approach controller, which conformed with the minimum safe altitude. All this was followed by the instruction to immediately turn approximately 180 degrees from our heading. At this point, I was overwhelmed and asked the approach controller what he was doing to us. Another controller came on the radio and asked what our altitude was -- I responded cleared to 3300 ft which is what we were doing. He stated that there had been a miscom about our altitude and proceeded to vector us around for another ILS to runway 20L. Landed without further incident. Both the controller and the crew had a very high workload. At times like this it is extremely important for both parties to be precise and clear in all radio xmissions. In other words, professional. Had we been better informed as to the traffic situation and the controller's plans, we might have been able to assist in preventing any miscom. TCASII, which was on board and operational, was in the 30 mi range, which is the lowest scale allowed with the radar on, was of little help because of the number of aircraft in a relatively small area. It is very difficult to accurately assess spacing in the terminal area on the 30 mi scale.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CREW RPT OF ABNORMAL ATC HANDLING PROCS WHILE INBOUND FOR IAP ILS APCH.

Narrative: ON APCH INTO BNA, CLRED TO 2300 FT MSL ON A HDG OF APPROX 230 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE 20L LOC. 170 KTS. BEFORE INTERCEPTING THE GS, THE APCH CTLR GAVE US A HDG TO THE SSE, OFF THE LOC IN ORDER TO GET SPACING ON THE ACFT SHOOTING THE APCH IN FRONT OF US. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A NUMBER OF INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN TO DIFFERENT HDGS DURING A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. ALSO IN THIS NUMBER OF EXCHANGES, I EITHER ASKED ABOUT OUR ALT OR WAS GIVEN A CLB TO 3300 FT BY THE APCH CTLR, WHICH CONFORMED WITH THE MINIMUM SAFE ALT. ALL THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE INSTRUCTION TO IMMEDIATELY TURN APPROX 180 DEGS FROM OUR HDG. AT THIS POINT, I WAS OVERWHELMED AND ASKED THE APCH CTLR WHAT HE WAS DOING TO US. ANOTHER CTLR CAME ON THE RADIO AND ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS -- I RESPONDED CLRED TO 3300 FT WHICH IS WHAT WE WERE DOING. HE STATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A MISCOM ABOUT OUR ALT AND PROCEEDED TO VECTOR US AROUND FOR ANOTHER ILS TO RWY 20L. LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. BOTH THE CTLR AND THE CREW HAD A VERY HIGH WORKLOAD. AT TIMES LIKE THIS IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR BOTH PARTIES TO BE PRECISE AND CLR IN ALL RADIO XMISSIONS. IN OTHER WORDS, PROFESSIONAL. HAD WE BEEN BETTER INFORMED AS TO THE TFC SIT AND THE CTLR'S PLANS, WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASSIST IN PREVENTING ANY MISCOM. TCASII, WHICH WAS ON BOARD AND OPERATIONAL, WAS IN THE 30 MI RANGE, WHICH IS THE LOWEST SCALE ALLOWED WITH THE RADAR ON, WAS OF LITTLE HELP BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF ACFT IN A RELATIVELY SMALL AREA. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCURATELY ASSESS SPACING IN THE TERMINAL AREA ON THE 30 MI SCALE.

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.