Large transport cargo flight is vectored toward departing traffic.

Attributes
ACN	294580
Time
Date	199501
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	294580
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

On arrival into memphis, approach control told us to expect runway 27. Coming from the northeast, this seemed standard.the approach controller told us to turn to 270 degree heading off the arrival, and to descend to 3000 ft MSL. We did. We left 10000 ft MSL and started to descend to 3000 ft MSL. About 8000 ft, the controller turned us to a heading of 300 degree. This was not normal. We could not ask the controller about this new heading due to the congested radio frequency we were on. About 5200 ft, a different controller came on our frequency and asked us to identify, so we did. He then said to maintain 5000 ft MSL and turn to a heading of 180 degrees. If we hadn't turned to 180 degrees when the new controller stepped in on the old controller, we would have probably hit the departing aircraft off of memphis runway 36R. Both, us and the departing aircraft saw each other the whole time. We flashed our landing lights at each other. After landing, our crew, disgusted with approach control, decided to fill this report out. We passed each other at the same flight altitude, not less than 1500 ft away from each other. If we were IMC, it would have been serious. We still have no idea why the controller vectored us toward the departing aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CARGO FLT IS VECTORED TOWARD DEPARTING TFC.

Narrative: ON ARR INTO MEMPHIS, APCH CTL TOLD US TO EXPECT RWY 27. COMING FROM THE NE, THIS SEEMED STANDARD.THE APCH CTLR TOLD US TO TURN TO 270 DEG HDG OFF THE ARR, AND TO DSND TO 3000 FT MSL. WE DID. WE LEFT 10000 FT MSL AND STARTED TO DSND TO 3000 FT MSL. ABOUT 8000 FT, THE CTLR TURNED US TO A HDG OF 300 DEG. THIS WAS NOT NORMAL. WE COULD NOT ASK THE CTLR ABOUT THIS NEW HDG DUE TO THE CONGESTED RADIO FREQ WE WERE ON. ABOUT 5200 FT, A DIFFERENT CTLR CAME ON OUR FREQ AND ASKED US TO IDENT, SO WE DID. HE THEN SAID TO MAINTAIN 5000 FT MSL AND TURN TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS. IF WE HADN'T TURNED TO 180 DEGS WHEN THE NEW CTLR STEPPED IN ON THE OLD CTLR, WE WOULD HAVE PROBABLY HIT THE DEPARTING ACFT OFF OF MEMPHIS RWY 36R. BOTH, US AND THE DEPARTING ACFT SAW EACH OTHER THE WHOLE TIME. WE FLASHED OUR LNDG LIGHTS AT EACH OTHER. AFTER LNDG, OUR CREW, DISGUSTED WITH APCH CTL, DECIDED TO FILL THIS RPT OUT. WE PASSED EACH OTHER AT THE SAME FLT ALT, NOT LESS THAN 1500 FT AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. IF WE WERE IMC, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS. WE STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE CTLR VECTORED US TOWARD THE DEPARTING 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.