Narrative:

Our frustration level was high as we entered the chicago area. A combination of ACARS clearance delivery outage, air force one's arrival, and a grossly misapplied severe WX avoidance program resulted in the virtual collapse of the ATC system at our departure airport, ewr. In addition, far more than our fair share of the delay seemed to accrue to us, and we felt unfairly penalized for no reason. For example my company's next ewr-ord flight had a departure time 1 hour 20 mins later, but took off only 20 mins later and was not re- rted, arriving 9 mins ahead of us! So we were on a 20 mi downwind leg to runway 4R anticipating a base turn momentarily. The last aircraft we could see was just passing abeam when the controller said, 'turn right heading 220.' the first officer read back '220,' but thought the controller must have meant 320 since we had been heading 220 for a long time and 320 would have been a good base leg to follow the guy abeam on final. With the first officer unable to get a word in edgewise to verify, and not wanting to lose my place after more than 3 hours of ATC delay already, I turned to 320. As we rolled out we noticed a large aircraft at 12 O'clock rolling out of a left turn opposite direction. After some discussion we decided he must be going to the parallel runway 4L. As we closed to less than 10 mi head-on, the controller suddenly gave us an immediate descent and right turn to avoid him. At about the same time our TCASII sounded a TA. We reached the new altitude at about 3 mi horizontal separation, fast enough to avoid an RA (from TCASII). We then tried to apologize.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV IN A NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: OUR FRUSTRATION LEVEL WAS HIGH AS WE ENTERED THE CHICAGO AREA. A COMBINATION OF ACARS CLRNC DELIVERY OUTAGE, AIR FORCE ONE'S ARR, AND A GROSSLY MISAPPLIED SEVERE WX AVOIDANCE PROGRAM RESULTED IN THE VIRTUAL COLLAPSE OF THE ATC SYS AT OUR DEP ARPT, EWR. IN ADDITION, FAR MORE THAN OUR FAIR SHARE OF THE DELAY SEEMED TO ACCRUE TO US, AND WE FELT UNFAIRLY PENALIZED FOR NO REASON. FOR EXAMPLE MY COMPANY'S NEXT EWR-ORD FLT HAD A DEP TIME 1 HR 20 MINS LATER, BUT TOOK OFF ONLY 20 MINS LATER AND WAS NOT RE- RTED, ARRIVING 9 MINS AHEAD OF US! SO WE WERE ON A 20 MI DOWNWIND LEG TO RWY 4R ANTICIPATING A BASE TURN MOMENTARILY. THE LAST ACFT WE COULD SEE WAS JUST PASSING ABEAM WHEN THE CTLR SAID, 'TURN R HDG 220.' THE FO READ BACK '220,' BUT THOUGHT THE CTLR MUST HAVE MEANT 320 SINCE WE HAD BEEN HDG 220 FOR A LONG TIME AND 320 WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD BASE LEG TO FOLLOW THE GUY ABEAM ON FINAL. WITH THE FO UNABLE TO GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE TO VERIFY, AND NOT WANTING TO LOSE MY PLACE AFTER MORE THAN 3 HRS OF ATC DELAY ALREADY, I TURNED TO 320. AS WE ROLLED OUT WE NOTICED A LARGE ACFT AT 12 O'CLOCK ROLLING OUT OF A L TURN OPPOSITE DIRECTION. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION WE DECIDED HE MUST BE GOING TO THE PARALLEL RWY 4L. AS WE CLOSED TO LESS THAN 10 MI HEAD-ON, THE CTLR SUDDENLY GAVE US AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT AND R TURN TO AVOID HIM. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME OUR TCASII SOUNDED A TA. WE REACHED THE NEW ALT AT ABOUT 3 MI HORIZ SEPARATION, FAST ENOUGH TO AVOID AN RA (FROM TCASII). WE THEN TRIED TO APOLOGIZE.

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.