Narrative:

Our aircraft was on arrival from the south. Due to lower traffic on same arrival, our descent was delayed. We were handed off from ZTL to atl TRACON at a higher than normal altitude. We made a maximum rate descent when directed by TRACON, however, were still higher and faster than normal. We were given a heading of 360 degrees towards the localizer for runway 27L. A frequency change was given to us which we made and subsequently found to be incorrect. The controller on the proper frequency gave us a turn to 270 degrees to intercept the localizer runway 27L. At that time we were already past the localizer and the turn created a conflict with a B727 making an approach to runway 26R. The RA caused the B727 to descend and vectors were given to separate the aircraft. Atl TRACON instructed us to maintain visual separation during the event, which we did. Minimum separation was approximately 500 ft at 1.5 NM. Supplemental information from acn 488235: the problem began at altitude with late, incremental, go down/slow down clrncs. Only dropping the landing gear could have increased our rate of descent and at no time did that seem appropriate until we saw the other aircraft, at which time staying high became the clear course of action. ZTL and approach consistently do a superb job, they are the best I've worked with anywhere in the world. On this occasion, the margin was reduced somewhat, but did not become a serious threat due to the approach controller's help and my first officer's skillful flying.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE DSNDING ON VECTORS TO ATL, B767 CREW OVERSHOT FINAL AND CONFLICT WITH B727 ON A PARALLEL RWY.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS ON ARR FROM THE S. DUE TO LOWER TFC ON SAME ARR, OUR DSCNT WAS DELAYED. WE WERE HANDED OFF FROM ZTL TO ATL TRACON AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL ALT. WE MADE A MAX RATE DSCNT WHEN DIRECTED BY TRACON, HOWEVER, WERE STILL HIGHER AND FASTER THAN NORMAL. WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 360 DEGS TOWARDS THE LOC FOR RWY 27L. A FREQ CHANGE WAS GIVEN TO US WHICH WE MADE AND SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND TO BE INCORRECT. THE CTLR ON THE PROPER FREQ GAVE US A TURN TO 270 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE LOC RWY 27L. AT THAT TIME WE WERE ALREADY PAST THE LOC AND THE TURN CREATED A CONFLICT WITH A B727 MAKING AN APCH TO RWY 26R. THE RA CAUSED THE B727 TO DSND AND VECTORS WERE GIVEN TO SEPARATE THE ACFT. ATL TRACON INSTRUCTED US TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION DURING THE EVENT, WHICH WE DID. MINIMUM SEPARATION WAS APPROX 500 FT AT 1.5 NM. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 488235: THE PROB BEGAN AT ALT WITH LATE, INCREMENTAL, GO DOWN/SLOW DOWN CLRNCS. ONLY DROPPING THE LNDG GEAR COULD HAVE INCREASED OUR RATE OF DSCNT AND AT NO TIME DID THAT SEEM APPROPRIATE UNTIL WE SAW THE OTHER ACFT, AT WHICH TIME STAYING HIGH BECAME THE CLR COURSE OF ACTION. ZTL AND APCH CONSISTENTLY DO A SUPERB JOB, THEY ARE THE BEST I'VE WORKED WITH ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. ON THIS OCCASION, THE MARGIN WAS REDUCED SOMEWHAT, BUT DID NOT BECOME A SERIOUS THREAT DUE TO THE APCH CTLR'S HELP AND MY FO'S SKILLFUL FLYING.

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.