Narrative:

This entire arrival sequence to mem via the middy arrival, and vectors to final constitute the situation. As often occurs during the arrival time slot surrounding XA00, we were vectored for sequencing to mem on and off the middy arrival. Having been cleared for the middy arrival, we were vectored off the inbound radial, and then vectored back toward it with a clearance to 'intercept the mem 046 degree radial, cross middy at 10000 ft and 250 KTS.' since the mem ARTCC had held us up at FL350 until 70 DME, it was impossible to make the crossing restr, especially since a further restr was given not to exceed 250 KTS. (Middy is the mem 046 degree radial at 30 DME.) after commencing the descent, I advised the captain (I was the PF) that we would be unable to make the crossing restr, and shortly thereafter, ATC cancelled the restr of speed and instructed us to 'just descend to 10000 ft, disregard middy, and continue on the 046 degree radial inbound.' once we were sent over to mem approach, the real confusion began! Having been cleared to merely fly the 046 degree radial inbound to mem, we disregarded the middy arrival's instruction to turn left at clark international (046 degree radial/8 DME) to 175 degrees. Shortly past clark, approach called and sarcastically inquired if we were ever going to turn south, so we did, and came left to 175 degrees. Mem airport was landing runway 36L/36R and runway 27, and since we needed an equipment check, we requested an ILS to runway 36R for a practice CAT III ILS. Approach told us to expect an ILS to runway 36L, so we briefed CAT III procedures for runway 36L. While on downwind, approach advised us to now expect vectors for an ILS to runway 36R, so we quickly re-briefed and prepared for runway 36R. (He even advised us of the ILS frequency for runway 36R -- 110.5 frequency.) when it became obvious that our vectors would take us through the final approach course to runway 36R, we queried the controller, who responded, turn back to intercept the ILS from the left. This we did, as the hair stood up on the backs of our necks, hoping there was no traffic in conflict. As we intercepted the localizer course (runway 36R) approach called and asked if we were going to runway 36L or runway 36R. We replied runway 36R (was cleared) and approach directed that 'you were cleared to runway 36L!' in a state of frustration, we reset the ILS to the runway 36L frequency, intercepted the runway 36L ILS, and completed the approach and landing. From the commencement of the arrival through landing, it was apparent that ZME and mem approach were very busy sequencing traffic for arrival. Having been passed through several different frequencys on arrival, the controllers apparently lost track of what runway they were vectoring us to land on. I am quite certain of our clrncs (as was the rest of the crew) received, and would like to hear the taped xmissions so that the controllers could hear themselves, and hopefully improve!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC/FLC MISCOM. APCH RWY CONFUSION WITH MULTIPLE RWY CHANGES.

Narrative: THIS ENTIRE ARR SEQUENCE TO MEM VIA THE MIDDY ARR, AND VECTORS TO FINAL CONSTITUTE THE SIT. AS OFTEN OCCURS DURING THE ARR TIME SLOT SURROUNDING XA00, WE WERE VECTORED FOR SEQUENCING TO MEM ON AND OFF THE MIDDY ARR. HAVING BEEN CLRED FOR THE MIDDY ARR, WE WERE VECTORED OFF THE INBOUND RADIAL, AND THEN VECTORED BACK TOWARD IT WITH A CLRNC TO 'INTERCEPT THE MEM 046 DEG RADIAL, CROSS MIDDY AT 10000 FT AND 250 KTS.' SINCE THE MEM ARTCC HAD HELD US UP AT FL350 UNTIL 70 DME, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE THE XING RESTR, ESPECIALLY SINCE A FURTHER RESTR WAS GIVEN NOT TO EXCEED 250 KTS. (MIDDY IS THE MEM 046 DEG RADIAL AT 30 DME.) AFTER COMMENCING THE DSCNT, I ADVISED THE CAPT (I WAS THE PF) THAT WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO MAKE THE XING RESTR, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ATC CANCELLED THE RESTR OF SPD AND INSTRUCTED US TO 'JUST DSND TO 10000 FT, DISREGARD MIDDY, AND CONTINUE ON THE 046 DEG RADIAL INBOUND.' ONCE WE WERE SENT OVER TO MEM APCH, THE REAL CONFUSION BEGAN! HAVING BEEN CLRED TO MERELY FLY THE 046 DEG RADIAL INBOUND TO MEM, WE DISREGARDED THE MIDDY ARR'S INSTRUCTION TO TURN L AT CLARK INTL (046 DEG RADIAL/8 DME) TO 175 DEGS. SHORTLY PAST CLARK, APCH CALLED AND SARCASTICALLY INQUIRED IF WE WERE EVER GOING TO TURN S, SO WE DID, AND CAME L TO 175 DEGS. MEM ARPT WAS LNDG RWY 36L/36R AND RWY 27, AND SINCE WE NEEDED AN EQUIP CHK, WE REQUESTED AN ILS TO RWY 36R FOR A PRACTICE CAT III ILS. APCH TOLD US TO EXPECT AN ILS TO RWY 36L, SO WE BRIEFED CAT III PROCS FOR RWY 36L. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, APCH ADVISED US TO NOW EXPECT VECTORS FOR AN ILS TO RWY 36R, SO WE QUICKLY RE-BRIEFED AND PREPARED FOR RWY 36R. (HE EVEN ADVISED US OF THE ILS FREQ FOR RWY 36R -- 110.5 FREQ.) WHEN IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT OUR VECTORS WOULD TAKE US THROUGH THE FINAL APCH COURSE TO RWY 36R, WE QUERIED THE CTLR, WHO RESPONDED, TURN BACK TO INTERCEPT THE ILS FROM THE L. THIS WE DID, AS THE HAIR STOOD UP ON THE BACKS OF OUR NECKS, HOPING THERE WAS NO TFC IN CONFLICT. AS WE INTERCEPTED THE LOC COURSE (RWY 36R) APCH CALLED AND ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO RWY 36L OR RWY 36R. WE REPLIED RWY 36R (WAS CLRED) AND APCH DIRECTED THAT 'YOU WERE CLRED TO RWY 36L!' IN A STATE OF FRUSTRATION, WE RESET THE ILS TO THE RWY 36L FREQ, INTERCEPTED THE RWY 36L ILS, AND COMPLETED THE APCH AND LNDG. FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE ARR THROUGH LNDG, IT WAS APPARENT THAT ZME AND MEM APCH WERE VERY BUSY SEQUENCING TFC FOR ARR. HAVING BEEN PASSED THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT FREQS ON ARR, THE CTLRS APPARENTLY LOST TRACK OF WHAT RWY THEY WERE VECTORING US TO LAND ON. I AM QUITE CERTAIN OF OUR CLRNCS (AS WAS THE REST OF THE CREW) RECEIVED, AND WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THE TAPED XMISSIONS SO THAT THE CTLRS COULD HEAR THEMSELVES, AND HOPEFULLY IMPROVE!

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.