Narrative:

Memphis was landing runway 36L and right. We were told on initial contact with memphis approach to expect runway 36L. We were told that runway 36R was possible. First officer was flying. We were vectored to downwind, base and intercept for runway 36. ILS was turned and identified properly. The final controller had a female voice. There were two other aircraft with similar call signs. Our's was aircraft X, also on the same frequency was aircraft Y and I believe aircraft Z. A number of times people were stepping on other people's radio calls and answering calls for other aircraft. We lost the localizer signal for runway 36L after being cleared for the approach. I notified final approach control and the female controller cleared me to runway 36R, which I was hesitant to do because of the proximity of other aircraft on final to runway 36R. A male voice interrupted and said we were again cleared to runway 36L redial frequency and 'identified.' about a third of that was down the GS on course and on GS. The female controller gave us a 270 degree heading for runway 36L and no altitude. I requested an altitude and she gave us one of 3000 ft. Came back around to runway 36L no problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC-10 CREW LNDG MEM FIND OPERATIONS INTO THE ARPT SOMEWHAT CONFUSING BECAUSE OF SIMILAR CALL SIGNS AND EQUIP FAILURES.

Narrative: MEMPHIS WAS LNDG RWY 36L AND R. WE WERE TOLD ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH MEMPHIS APCH TO EXPECT RWY 36L. WE WERE TOLD THAT RWY 36R WAS POSSIBLE. FO WAS FLYING. WE WERE VECTORED TO DOWNWIND, BASE AND INTERCEPT FOR RWY 36. ILS WAS TURNED AND IDENTIFIED PROPERLY. THE FINAL CTLR HAD A FEMALE VOICE. THERE WERE TWO OTHER ACFT WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. OUR'S WAS ACFT X, ALSO ON THE SAME FREQ WAS ACFT Y AND I BELIEVE ACFT Z. A NUMBER OF TIMES PEOPLE WERE STEPPING ON OTHER PEOPLE'S RADIO CALLS AND ANSWERING CALLS FOR OTHER ACFT. WE LOST THE LOC SIGNAL FOR RWY 36L AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE APCH. I NOTIFIED FINAL APCH CTL AND THE FEMALE CTLR CLRED ME TO RWY 36R, WHICH I WAS HESITANT TO DO BECAUSE OF THE PROX OF OTHER ACFT ON FINAL TO RWY 36R. A MALE VOICE INTERRUPTED AND SAID WE WERE AGAIN CLRED TO RWY 36L REDIAL FREQ AND 'IDENTIFIED.' ABOUT A THIRD OF THAT WAS DOWN THE GS ON COURSE AND ON GS. THE FEMALE CTLR GAVE US A 270 DEG HDG FOR RWY 36L AND NO ALT. I REQUESTED AN ALT AND SHE GAVE US ONE OF 3000 FT. CAME BACK AROUND TO RWY 36L NO PROB.

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.