Narrative:

We were being vectored for a visual approach to runway 26R on a heading of 200 degrees at 5000 ft. We were at 12 DME (localizer DME). Approach cleared us to 3000 ft and advised we had traffic at 1 O'clock and 4500 ft. My first officer began the search as I slowly nosed it over. At 4800 ft, we got an RA commanding us to 'climb' at a suggested rate of 1500+ FPM. I began a climb as the traffic passed underneath us, about 1/2 mi away. 'Clear of conflict' received, we hung it all out for a steep descent to the runway. In reflection, I felt the sucker. Approach called the traffic with no mention of his heading or that he had me in sight. That casual comment caused me to assume that he was heading away from us and was not a real factor (although he did not say that). After all, we were in class B airspace. No real excuse -- just an explanation. I called the supervisor after landing to discuss. He stated that the aircraft was a police aircraft and that he had me in sight (as if that should matter). He stated that I should have been told this. I fail to see what difference it makes. Bottom line is, I was given a clearance that resulted in an RA. The controller should have seen it coming and vectored us off the approach for another go at it. The single most contributing factor was that they were trying to funnel a high volume of traffic into the airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 FLC TAKE EVASIVE TCASII ACTION DUE TO XING POLICE ACFT ON ATL 12 MI FINAL.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26R ON A HDG OF 200 DEGS AT 5000 FT. WE WERE AT 12 DME (LOC DME). APCH CLRED US TO 3000 FT AND ADVISED WE HAD TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK AND 4500 FT. MY FO BEGAN THE SEARCH AS I SLOWLY NOSED IT OVER. AT 4800 FT, WE GOT AN RA COMMANDING US TO 'CLB' AT A SUGGESTED RATE OF 1500+ FPM. I BEGAN A CLB AS THE TFC PASSED UNDERNEATH US, ABOUT 1/2 MI AWAY. 'CLR OF CONFLICT' RECEIVED, WE HUNG IT ALL OUT FOR A STEEP DSCNT TO THE RWY. IN REFLECTION, I FELT THE SUCKER. APCH CALLED THE TFC WITH NO MENTION OF HIS HDG OR THAT HE HAD ME IN SIGHT. THAT CASUAL COMMENT CAUSED ME TO ASSUME THAT HE WAS HDG AWAY FROM US AND WAS NOT A REAL FACTOR (ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT SAY THAT). AFTER ALL, WE WERE IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. NO REAL EXCUSE -- JUST AN EXPLANATION. I CALLED THE SUPVR AFTER LNDG TO DISCUSS. HE STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS A POLICE ACFT AND THAT HE HAD ME IN SIGHT (AS IF THAT SHOULD MATTER). HE STATED THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS. I FAIL TO SEE WHAT DIFFERENCE IT MAKES. BOTTOM LINE IS, I WAS GIVEN A CLRNC THAT RESULTED IN AN RA. THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT COMING AND VECTORED US OFF THE APCH FOR ANOTHER GO AT IT. THE SINGLE MOST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO FUNNEL A HIGH VOLUME OF TFC INTO THE ARPT.

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.