Narrative:

We were in our approach to atl, an airport I'm very familiar with. We had just been switched to the final approach controller and up to this point all was as expected. After check in with the controller, we were switched to a different runway (runway 27L) from the previous runway assigned (runway 26R). The controller gave us the localizer frequency. At that point I went heads down to change the runway on the FMS. I selected the incorrect runway and at that point gave up on the FMS. Simultaneously, the controller gave us a turn to 180 degrees and descent to 2800 ft. We were descending through 6000 ft. I noted no traffic on TCASII, but heard the controller talking to a non air carrier. As we were approaching 4000 ft and a heading of 150 degrees, we were alerted by a TA of traffic, and shortly thereafter an RA on TCASII at 11 O'clock position and 1 mi. I visually acquired a king air in that location heading east below us. I kicked off the autoplt, leveled off, and continued a turn to the southwest until separation was attained. At that point the controller cleared us to 240 degrees and the ILS to runway 27L. The aircraft (king air) was descending inside of us on downwind under atl approach control. Lessons learned: 1) if ATC is going to change runways, it should be done on initial contact with approach. 2) my familiarity with atl caused me to accept clrncs which, in hindsight, I would have not normally accepted. 3) better crew coordination between myself and first officer. 4) automation is good for preplanned events, not rapidly changing sits. 5) controller should have alerted us to the location of the king air if we were passing through his altitude. 6) TCASII is a valuable tool.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 HAS POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH A KING AIR ON A VECTORED APCH TO ATL, GA.

Narrative: WE WERE IN OUR APCH TO ATL, AN ARPT I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH. WE HAD JUST BEEN SWITCHED TO THE FINAL APCH CTLR AND UP TO THIS POINT ALL WAS AS EXPECTED. AFTER CHK IN WITH THE CTLR, WE WERE SWITCHED TO A DIFFERENT RWY (RWY 27L) FROM THE PREVIOUS RWY ASSIGNED (RWY 26R). THE CTLR GAVE US THE LOC FREQ. AT THAT POINT I WENT HEADS DOWN TO CHANGE THE RWY ON THE FMS. I SELECTED THE INCORRECT RWY AND AT THAT POINT GAVE UP ON THE FMS. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE CTLR GAVE US A TURN TO 180 DEGS AND DSCNT TO 2800 FT. WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 6000 FT. I NOTED NO TFC ON TCASII, BUT HEARD THE CTLR TALKING TO A NON ACR. AS WE WERE APCHING 4000 FT AND A HDG OF 150 DEGS, WE WERE ALERTED BY A TA OF TFC, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER AN RA ON TCASII AT 11 O'CLOCK POS AND 1 MI. I VISUALLY ACQUIRED A KING AIR IN THAT LOCATION HDG E BELOW US. I KICKED OFF THE AUTOPLT, LEVELED OFF, AND CONTINUED A TURN TO THE SW UNTIL SEPARATION WAS ATTAINED. AT THAT POINT THE CTLR CLRED US TO 240 DEGS AND THE ILS TO RWY 27L. THE ACFT (KING AIR) WAS DSNDING INSIDE OF US ON DOWNWIND UNDER ATL APCH CTL. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) IF ATC IS GOING TO CHANGE RWYS, IT SHOULD BE DONE ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH APCH. 2) MY FAMILIARITY WITH ATL CAUSED ME TO ACCEPT CLRNCS WHICH, IN HINDSIGHT, I WOULD HAVE NOT NORMALLY ACCEPTED. 3) BETTER CREW COORD BTWN MYSELF AND FO. 4) AUTOMATION IS GOOD FOR PREPLANNED EVENTS, NOT RAPIDLY CHANGING SITS. 5) CTLR SHOULD HAVE ALERTED US TO THE LOCATION OF THE KING AIR IF WE WERE PASSING THROUGH HIS ALT. 6) TCASII IS A VALUABLE TOOL.

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.