Narrative:

Arriving stl on qball arrival. Checked in with stl approach. Given 6500 ft and heading, expect lda runway 30L approach. First officer began descent. ATIS had a reported 4 mi. Discussion between approach control and other aircraft regarding visibility required for approach. Approach control stated new minimum was 4 mi. Our current plate stl 11-7 lda runway 30L has minimum of 5 mi (dated may/xx/99). I checked our flight's WX packet to again review fdc and company NOTAMS regarding lda runway 30L minimums change. Also checked chart NOTAMS. Found no NOTAMS. During this time another aircraft declined the approach. When unable to find authority/authorized for lower approach minimums advised approach controller we were unable to accept lda runway 30L approach due to minimums. Controller issued clearance to level at 7000 ft. Other aircraft also voiced concerns. Controller said there were too many aircraft in airspace since we would not accept approachs. Later while at 7000 ft TCASII showed aircraft at 7000 ft in our 10 O'clock position. Tried to contact approach, frequency busy. TCASII issued traffic alert for the aircraft. Still could not get through to approach. When RA sounded 'descend' first officer immediately began descent. RA sounded again 'increase descent' TCASII displaced red band to 2000 ft down then green below 2000 FPM. Advised approach we were responding to RA. No reply from approach. Another aircraft was spotted below us as RA aircraft passed in front. Checked TCASII lower aircraft at 10 O'clock position. First officer leveled off as lower aircraft went below and behind our aircraft. Tried again to advise approach of RA and traffic, no response. TCASII issued clear of conflict. We began climb back to 7000 ft. Since traffic was at 12 O'clock position at 7000 ft we slowly climbed towards 7000 ft. Again notified approach control of conflicts and RA. Finally approach controller answered with frequency and heading change. There was no acknowledgment of TCASII RA or traffic conflicts. Changed frequency and advised returning to 7000 ft. Given vectors to ILS runway 30R. Remainder of flight normal. No controller acknowledged our RA or traffic. The first officer was flying from the left seat as part of company student captain IOE. The TCASII RA dealt with aircraft at 7000 ft, but did not seem to take into account aircraft #2 once RA was in progress. Controller apparently forgot us as we flew into other approach airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD82 HAS A MULTI-FACETED PROB WITH TFC SPACING BTWN 2 OTHER ACFT DURING A REFUSED APCH TO RWY 30L LDA APCH AT STL, MO.

Narrative: ARRIVING STL ON QBALL ARR. CHKED IN WITH STL APCH. GIVEN 6500 FT AND HEADING, EXPECT LDA RWY 30L APCH. FO BEGAN DSCNT. ATIS HAD A RPTED 4 MI. DISCUSSION BTWN APCH CTL AND OTHER ACFT REGARDING VISIBILITY REQUIRED FOR APCH. APCH CTL STATED NEW MINIMUM WAS 4 MI. OUR CURRENT PLATE STL 11-7 LDA RWY 30L HAS MINIMUM OF 5 MI (DATED MAY/XX/99). I CHKED OUR FLT'S WX PACKET TO AGAIN REVIEW FDC AND COMPANY NOTAMS REGARDING LDA RWY 30L MINIMUMS CHANGE. ALSO CHKED CHART NOTAMS. FOUND NO NOTAMS. DURING THIS TIME ANOTHER ACFT DECLINED THE APCH. WHEN UNABLE TO FIND AUTH FOR LOWER APCH MINIMUMS ADVISED APCH CTLR WE WERE UNABLE TO ACCEPT LDA RWY 30L APCH DUE TO MINIMUMS. CTLR ISSUED CLRNC TO LEVEL AT 7000 FT. OTHER ACFT ALSO VOICED CONCERNS. CTLR SAID THERE WERE TOO MANY ACFT IN AIRSPACE SINCE WE WOULD NOT ACCEPT APCHS. LATER WHILE AT 7000 FT TCASII SHOWED ACFT AT 7000 FT IN OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS. TRIED TO CONTACT APCH, FREQ BUSY. TCASII ISSUED TFC ALERT FOR THE ACFT. STILL COULD NOT GET THROUGH TO APCH. WHEN RA SOUNDED 'DSND' FO IMMEDIATELY BEGAN DSCNT. RA SOUNDED AGAIN 'INCREASE DSCNT' TCASII DISPLACED RED BAND TO 2000 FT DOWN THEN GREEN BELOW 2000 FPM. ADVISED APCH WE WERE RESPONDING TO RA. NO REPLY FROM APCH. ANOTHER ACFT WAS SPOTTED BELOW US AS RA ACFT PASSED IN FRONT. CHKED TCASII LOWER ACFT AT 10 O'CLOCK POS. FO LEVELED OFF AS LOWER ACFT WENT BELOW AND BEHIND OUR ACFT. TRIED AGAIN TO ADVISE APCH OF RA AND TFC, NO RESPONSE. TCASII ISSUED CLR OF CONFLICT. WE BEGAN CLB BACK TO 7000 FT. SINCE TFC WAS AT 12 O'CLOCK POS AT 7000 FT WE SLOWLY CLBED TOWARDS 7000 FT. AGAIN NOTIFIED APCH CTL OF CONFLICTS AND RA. FINALLY APCH CTLR ANSWERED WITH FREQ AND HEADING CHANGE. THERE WAS NO ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF TCASII RA OR TFC CONFLICTS. CHANGED FREQ AND ADVISED RETURNING TO 7000 FT. GIVEN VECTORS TO ILS RWY 30R. REMAINDER OF FLT NORMAL. NO CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED OUR RA OR TFC. THE FO WAS FLYING FROM THE L SEAT AS PART OF COMPANY STUDENT CAPT IOE. THE TCASII RA DEALT WITH ACFT AT 7000 FT, BUT DID NOT SEEM TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ACFT #2 ONCE RA WAS IN PROGRESS. CTLR APPARENTLY FORGOT US AS WE FLEW INTO OTHER APCH AIRSPACE.

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.