Traffic sequencing problem at anchorage, ak.

Attributes
ACN	475611
Time
Date	200006
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a11.tracon tower : anc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : anc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	475611
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

12 mi east of airport, clearance to 5000 ft obtained from approach airport called by captain and first officer. Reported airport, clearance received for visual, traffic (1) B757 11 O'clock position, 10 mi. Handed off to tower. Captain contacted tower, asked about our traffic. Traffic reported over beaches of fire island by tower. Tower said they would call our base. Captain asked tower about 5000 ft clearance. Tower said cleared for visual, they would call base. First officer pointed out B757 to captain, captain reported B757 to tower. Tower gave clearance 'referencing B757 cleared for visual.' B757 passed by right wing on final. First officer called for flaps 25 degrees, landing check and started base turn. Estimated sequence distance of 5 mi. First officer went wings level on speed on base. First officer noticed second aircraft approaching from left over fire island on final. 1ST aircraft on less than 1 mi (short final). About the same time tower gave clearance to maintain 3000 ft left 250 degree heading and leveled at 3000 ft. Tower re-sequenced us behind second air carrier aircraft. First officer called for landing configns and landing checks. Normal landing performed. Landing uneventful. No TCASII involved, no GPWS event. Normal landing situation. Causal events: on approach and tower, only 1 aircraft was issued for traffic. Altitudes, base calls and visuals referencing other aircraft led to communication errors. For example. Cleared for visual maintain 5000 ft, I'll call your base -- then-- cleared for visual referencing aircraft cleared to land.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC SEQUENCING PROB AT ANCHORAGE, AK.

Narrative: 12 MI E OF ARPT, CLRNC TO 5000 FT OBTAINED FROM APCH ARPT CALLED BY CAPT AND FO. RPTED ARPT, CLRNC RECEIVED FOR VISUAL, TFC (1) B757 11 O'CLOCK POS, 10 MI. HANDED OFF TO TWR. CAPT CONTACTED TWR, ASKED ABOUT OUR TFC. TFC RPTED OVER BEACHES OF FIRE ISLAND BY TWR. TWR SAID THEY WOULD CALL OUR BASE. CAPT ASKED TWR ABOUT 5000 FT CLRNC. TWR SAID CLRED FOR VISUAL, THEY WOULD CALL BASE. FO POINTED OUT B757 TO CAPT, CAPT RPTED B757 TO TWR. TWR GAVE CLRNC 'REFING B757 CLRED FOR VISUAL.' B757 PASSED BY R WING ON FINAL. FO CALLED FOR FLAPS 25 DEGS, LNDG CHK AND STARTED BASE TURN. ESTIMATED SEQUENCE DISTANCE OF 5 MI. FO WENT WINGS LEVEL ON SPD ON BASE. FO NOTICED SECOND ACFT APCHING FROM L OVER FIRE ISLAND ON FINAL. 1ST ACFT ON LESS THAN 1 MI (SHORT FINAL). ABOUT THE SAME TIME TWR GAVE CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT L 250 DEG HDG AND LEVELED AT 3000 FT. TWR RE-SEQUENCED US BEHIND SECOND ACR ACFT. FO CALLED FOR LNDG CONFIGNS AND LNDG CHKS. NORMAL LNDG PERFORMED. LNDG UNEVENTFUL. NO TCASII INVOLVED, NO GPWS EVENT. NORMAL LNDG SIT. CAUSAL EVENTS: ON APCH AND TWR, ONLY 1 ACFT WAS ISSUED FOR TFC. ALTS, BASE CALLS AND VISUALS REFING OTHER ACFT LED TO COM ERRORS. FOR EXAMPLE. CLRED FOR VISUAL MAINTAIN 5000 FT, I'LL CALL YOUR BASE -- THEN-- CLRED FOR VISUAL REFING ACFT CLRED TO LAND.

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.