Captain of a B737-300 was high, and close in, when issued a second approach clearance.

Attributes
ACN	377490
Time
Date	199708
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	377490
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On aug/fri/97, air carrier flight X was on a 355 degree heading on the holly eight eight arrival at memphis international airport at an assigned altitude of 8000 ft MSL to land on runway 18L. Air carrier X was talking to memphis approach on frequency 125.8. When air carrier X was aprox 3 DME north of the approach end of runway 18L memphis approach control said runway 18L was backed up because of departures and to expect runway 18R. Memphis approach then gave air carrier X a turn to the west and issued a clearance to 3000 ft MSL. Air carrier X was aprox 5 DME north of the airport at 8000 ft MSL when memphis approach issued their new clearance. This approach was further compounded by the fact it was nighttime and the crew of air carrier X was pulling out the approach plate for runway 18R. The aircraft had to be configured from clean and 210 KTS to gear down and flaps 40 degrees to fly the approach. Once the aircraft was configured it was very high and close to the airport. Once air carrier X was on the ground the captain called the tower supervisor (controller at phone number) to express his concern and displeasure at such an approach procedure being issued to air carrier X. ATC controller was very concerned and said he would look into the situation. There was no reason for memphis approach to issue such an approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B737-300 WAS HIGH, AND CLOSE IN, WHEN ISSUED A SECOND APCH CLRNC.

Narrative: ON AUG/FRI/97, ACR FLT X WAS ON A 355 DEG HDG ON THE HOLLY EIGHT EIGHT ARR AT MEMPHIS INTL ARPT AT AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 8000 FT MSL TO LAND ON RWY 18L. ACR X WAS TALKING TO MEMPHIS APCH ON FREQ 125.8. WHEN ACR X WAS APROX 3 DME N OF THE APCH END OF RWY 18L MEMPHIS APCH CTL SAID RWY 18L WAS BACKED UP BECAUSE OF DEPS AND TO EXPECT RWY 18R. MEMPHIS APCH THEN GAVE ACR X A TURN TO THE W AND ISSUED A CLRNC TO 3000 FT MSL. ACR X WAS APROX 5 DME N OF THE ARPT AT 8000 FT MSL WHEN MEMPHIS APCH ISSUED THEIR NEW CLRNC. THIS APCH WAS FURTHER COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT IT WAS NIGHTTIME AND THE CREW OF ACR X WAS PULLING OUT THE APCH PLATE FOR RWY 18R. THE ACFT HAD TO BE CONFIGURED FROM CLEAN AND 210 KTS TO GEAR DOWN AND FLAPS 40 DEGS TO FLY THE APCH. ONCE THE ACFT WAS CONFIGURED IT WAS VERY HIGH AND CLOSE TO THE ARPT. ONCE ACR X WAS ON THE GND THE CAPT CALLED THE TWR SUPVR (CTLR AT PHONE NUMBER) TO EXPRESS HIS CONCERN AND DISPLEASURE AT SUCH AN APCH PROC BEING ISSUED TO ACR X. ATC CTLR WAS VERY CONCERNED AND SAID HE WOULD LOOK INTO THE SIT. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR MEMPHIS APCH TO ISSUE SUCH AN APCH.

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.