Narrative:

RMG2.atl arrival. A short distance south of the bwg VOR, we were cleared direct to the rmg VOR. I set the 152 degree course to fly direct. Very near the rmg VOR, ZTL gave us a vector of 180 degrees for sequencing. We were on that heading for a long period of time. In fact, I noticed that the southwest arrival gate aircraft were appearing on our TCASII display. Finally, ZTL directed a 090 degree vector to join the arrival. During all of the previous activity, we were given crossing restrs for our descent, and I was distraction due to the proximity of the fix. Simultaneous, with the clearance to join the arrival, the TCASII traffic alert went off on 2 separate targets. They were climbing out of atlanta, crossing our flight path. As I responded to the TCASII, I noticed the navigation CDI center. I turned to intercept, you guessed it, the 152 degree radial versus the 132 degree radial outbound from rmg VOR. The TCASII was 'talking' to us! I re-engaged the autoplt to assess the situation once the TCASII settled down. I noticed the course mismatch and started a left turn to join the rmg 132 degree radial. We had switched to approach control by then and the controller asked what 'the center had cleared us for...' I told him, 'I screwed up the arrival and that we were rejoining the rmg 2.' we were then cleared direct atl VOR. The descent clearance was issued late, necessitating a steep descent. Non glass aircraft and a very busy arrival contributed to work overload during this critical phase of flight. I suspect that ZTL forgot about us and vectored us through the departure rtes while we wre in a very steep descent (4000 FPM). The TCASII tweaks your survival instincts. The navigation display got lost in the melee.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CAPT STRAYS OFF THE ARR PROC INTO ATL WHEN HE IS CONFUSED AND OVERLOADED.

Narrative: RMG2.ATL ARR. A SHORT DISTANCE S OF THE BWG VOR, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO THE RMG VOR. I SET THE 152 DEG COURSE TO FLY DIRECT. VERY NEAR THE RMG VOR, ZTL GAVE US A VECTOR OF 180 DEGS FOR SEQUENCING. WE WERE ON THAT HDG FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. IN FACT, I NOTICED THAT THE SW ARR GATE ACFT WERE APPEARING ON OUR TCASII DISPLAY. FINALLY, ZTL DIRECTED A 090 DEG VECTOR TO JOIN THE ARR. DURING ALL OF THE PREVIOUS ACTIVITY, WE WERE GIVEN XING RESTRS FOR OUR DSCNT, AND I WAS DISTR DUE TO THE PROX OF THE FIX. SIMULTANEOUS, WITH THE CLRNC TO JOIN THE ARR, THE TCASII TFC ALERT WENT OFF ON 2 SEPARATE TARGETS. THEY WERE CLBING OUT OF ATLANTA, XING OUR FLT PATH. AS I RESPONDED TO THE TCASII, I NOTICED THE NAV CDI CTR. I TURNED TO INTERCEPT, YOU GUESSED IT, THE 152 DEG RADIAL VERSUS THE 132 DEG RADIAL OUTBOUND FROM RMG VOR. THE TCASII WAS 'TALKING' TO US! I RE-ENGAGED THE AUTOPLT TO ASSESS THE SIT ONCE THE TCASII SETTLED DOWN. I NOTICED THE COURSE MISMATCH AND STARTED A L TURN TO JOIN THE RMG 132 DEG RADIAL. WE HAD SWITCHED TO APCH CTL BY THEN AND THE CTLR ASKED WHAT 'THE CTR HAD CLRED US FOR...' I TOLD HIM, 'I SCREWED UP THE ARR AND THAT WE WERE REJOINING THE RMG 2.' WE WERE THEN CLRED DIRECT ATL VOR. THE DSCNT CLRNC WAS ISSUED LATE, NECESSITATING A STEEP DSCNT. NON GLASS ACFT AND A VERY BUSY ARR CONTRIBUTED TO WORK OVERLOAD DURING THIS CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. I SUSPECT THAT ZTL FORGOT ABOUT US AND VECTORED US THROUGH THE DEP RTES WHILE WE WRE IN A VERY STEEP DSCNT (4000 FPM). THE TCASII TWEAKS YOUR SURVIVAL INSTINCTS. THE NAV DISPLAY GOT LOST IN THE MELEE.

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.