TCASII. While on radar vectors for visual approach, ATC frequency was congested and flight crew could not get through to approach control to obtain approach clearance. When finally establishing contact the controller told them he thought he had already given approach clearance. During the approach, TCASII alerted reporter flight crew of another aircraft on parallel runway which they evaded.

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Attributes
ACN	329290
Time
Date	199602
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	329290
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	329178
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were being vectored for a visual approach to runway 21R at dtw and were assigned 3000 ft and a heading of 180 degrees. We had the airport and parallel traffic for runway 21L in sight. As we approached the final for runway 2R we still had not received approach clearance. We tried to contact approach control but were unable due to frequency congestion. As we crossed the final we could see a traffic conflict developing so we initiated a turn back toward the final. After the turn was initiated the TCASII gave us an RA to descend, which we did, however, this was not a near miss. When we finally talked to the approach controller, he indicated that he thought he had already given us an approach clearance. I believe that the controller just forgot about us. We landed safely with no further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCASII. WHILE ON RADAR VECTORS FOR VISUAL APCH, ATC FREQ WAS CONGESTED AND FLC COULD NOT GET THROUGH TO APCH CTL TO OBTAIN APCH CLRNC. WHEN FINALLY ESTABLISHING CONTACT THE CTLR TOLD THEM HE THOUGHT HE HAD ALREADY GIVEN APCH CLRNC. DURING THE APCH, TCASII ALERTED RPTR FLC OF ANOTHER ACFT ON PARALLEL RWY WHICH THEY EVADED.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 21R AT DTW AND WERE ASSIGNED 3000 FT AND A HDG OF 180 DEGS. WE HAD THE ARPT AND PARALLEL TFC FOR RWY 21L IN SIGHT. AS WE APCHED THE FINAL FOR RWY 2R WE STILL HAD NOT RECEIVED APCH CLRNC. WE TRIED TO CONTACT APCH CTL BUT WERE UNABLE DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. AS WE CROSSED THE FINAL WE COULD SEE A TFC CONFLICT DEVELOPING SO WE INITIATED A TURN BACK TOWARD THE FINAL. AFTER THE TURN WAS INITIATED THE TCASII GAVE US AN RA TO DSND, WHICH WE DID, HOWEVER, THIS WAS NOT A NEAR MISS. WHEN WE FINALLY TALKED TO THE APCH CTLR, HE INDICATED THAT HE THOUGHT HE HAD ALREADY GIVEN US AN APCH CLRNC. I BELIEVE THAT THE CTLR JUST FORGOT ABOUT US. WE LANDED SAFELY WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.