Narrative:

On radar vectors for the approach into phl we had a TCASII RA for a descent. The set-up for the RA is what concerned us most. We were on the spuds one RNAV arrival when first contacting approach. The controller gave us vectors off the arrival plus a descent to 7000 ft as well as a speed reduction to 210 KIAS. The initial heading was 240 degrees then we got a further right turn to 290 degrees, essentially we were headed the wrong way. This is fairly common practice for the phl approach controllers. On the 290 degree heading we got a TCASII 'traffic alert' and saw an air carrier Y, B737, coming at us head on (not moving in the windshield). The controller then gave us a turn to a 180 degree heading which coincided with a TCASII RA for descent. I ignored the turn which would have been into the traffic and followed the RA. The controller realizing his mistake gave us a descent to 6000 ft. Both the captain and I agreed that why not just use the holding pattern at mazie. The controller was very busy and gave himself extra work by putting us on vectors when it would have been both safer and easier to up us in a hold. Supplemental information from acn 514136: controller seemed very busy and forgot we were both at 7000 ft, excessive vectoring because of traffic was a factor. I lost confidence in the controller's abilities and I sensed the other aircraft's crew did also. If they are overloaded, they need to send aircraft to a holding pattern, and meter the arrs. If we had been IMC, with neither aircraft having TCASII, the controller's clearance, if followed, would have resulted in a midair.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLC DISREGARD PHL CTLR VECTOR WHEN OBSERVING OPPOSITE DIRECTION B737-200 AT SAME ALT. TCASII RA MANEUVER EXECUTED.

Narrative: ON RADAR VECTORS FOR THE APCH INTO PHL WE HAD A TCASII RA FOR A DSCNT. THE SET-UP FOR THE RA IS WHAT CONCERNED US MOST. WE WERE ON THE SPUDS ONE RNAV ARR WHEN FIRST CONTACTING APCH. THE CTLR GAVE US VECTORS OFF THE ARR PLUS A DSCNT TO 7000 FT AS WELL AS A SPD REDUCTION TO 210 KIAS. THE INITIAL HEADING WAS 240 DEGS THEN WE GOT A FURTHER R TURN TO 290 DEGS, ESSENTIALLY WE WERE HEADED THE WRONG WAY. THIS IS FAIRLY COMMON PRACTICE FOR THE PHL APCH CTLRS. ON THE 290 DEG HDG WE GOT A TCASII 'TFC ALERT' AND SAW AN ACR Y, B737, COMING AT US HEAD ON (NOT MOVING IN THE WINDSHIELD). THE CTLR THEN GAVE US A TURN TO A 180 DEG HDG WHICH COINCIDED WITH A TCASII RA FOR DSCNT. I IGNORED THE TURN WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN INTO THE TFC AND FOLLOWED THE RA. THE CTLR REALIZING HIS MISTAKE GAVE US A DSCNT TO 6000 FT. BOTH THE CAPT AND I AGREED THAT WHY NOT JUST USE THE HOLDING PATTERN AT MAZIE. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND GAVE HIMSELF EXTRA WORK BY PUTTING US ON VECTORS WHEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BOTH SAFER AND EASIER TO UP US IN A HOLD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 514136: CTLR SEEMED VERY BUSY AND FORGOT WE WERE BOTH AT 7000 FT, EXCESSIVE VECTORING BECAUSE OF TFC WAS A FACTOR. I LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE CTLR'S ABILITIES AND I SENSED THE OTHER ACFT'S CREW DID ALSO. IF THEY ARE OVERLOADED, THEY NEED TO SEND ACFT TO A HOLDING PATTERN, AND METER THE ARRS. IF WE HAD BEEN IMC, WITH NEITHER ACFT HAVING TCASII, THE CTLR'S CLRNC, IF FOLLOWED, WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MIDAIR.

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.