Narrative:

Our flight was XXXA, another of our airline's flts on frequency and in immediate vicinity XXXB with similar call sign as possible casual factor in event. Our flight was on 230 degree heading, level at 8000 ft, being vectored for final approach. After being issued a heading change to 180 degrees, descent to 6000 ft, and speed reduction from 210 KTS to 180 KTS, we were given a frequency change to a new controller. Attempted to check in with new controller, but was blocked due to high volume of traffic on the frequency. After several controller exchanges with other aircraft, one being our airlines XXXB, we (XXXA) were asked our heading by the controller. At this time we noticed an aircraft approaching from our right quadrant on TCASII, followed immediately by a TCASII alert (I honestly can't remember if we ever got a TCASII RA). Almost simultaneously we responded our assigned heading was 180 degrees. Controller instructed an immediate left turn to 090 degree heading and climb to 7000 ft. We basically were initiating turn, not climb, on our own initiative we then also commenced climb. TCASII showed an aircraft within 100 ft of same altitude. Due to our immediate circumstances do not know if conflict aircraft was at 1/2 inner circle on 5 mi or 10 mi TCASII scale, as we were evading and trying to communication. We never saw the other aircraft due to restricted visibility in IMC conditions. Controller's query of the conflict aircraft indicated that the conflict aircraft did see our lights at some point.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT LTSS.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS XXXA, ANOTHER OF OUR AIRLINE'S FLTS ON FREQ AND IN IMMEDIATE VICINITY XXXB WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGN AS POSSIBLE CASUAL FACTOR IN EVENT. OUR FLT WAS ON 230 DEG HDG, LEVEL AT 8000 FT, BEING VECTORED FOR FINAL APCH. AFTER BEING ISSUED A HDG CHANGE TO 180 DEGS, DSCNT TO 6000 FT, AND SPD REDUCTION FROM 210 KTS TO 180 KTS, WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE TO A NEW CTLR. ATTEMPTED TO CHK IN WITH NEW CTLR, BUT WAS BLOCKED DUE TO HIGH VOLUME OF TFC ON THE FREQ. AFTER SEVERAL CTLR EXCHANGES WITH OTHER ACFT, ONE BEING OUR AIRLINES XXXB, WE (XXXA) WERE ASKED OUR HDG BY THE CTLR. AT THIS TIME WE NOTICED AN ACFT APCHING FROM OUR R QUADRANT ON TCASII, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A TCASII ALERT (I HONESTLY CAN'T REMEMBER IF WE EVER GOT A TCASII RA). ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY WE RESPONDED OUR ASSIGNED HDG WAS 180 DEGS. CTLR INSTRUCTED AN IMMEDIATE L TURN TO 090 DEG HDG AND CLB TO 7000 FT. WE BASICALLY WERE INITIATING TURN, NOT CLB, ON OUR OWN INITIATIVE WE THEN ALSO COMMENCED CLB. TCASII SHOWED AN ACFT WITHIN 100 FT OF SAME ALT. DUE TO OUR IMMEDIATE CIRCUMSTANCES DO NOT KNOW IF CONFLICT ACFT WAS AT 1/2 INNER CIRCLE ON 5 MI OR 10 MI TCASII SCALE, AS WE WERE EVADING AND TRYING TO COM. WE NEVER SAW THE OTHER ACFT DUE TO RESTRICTED VISIBILITY IN IMC CONDITIONS. CTLR'S QUERY OF THE CONFLICT ACFT INDICATED THAT THE CONFLICT ACFT DID SEE OUR LIGHTS AT SOME POINT.

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.