Narrative:

We were flying a 180 degrees assigned heading being vectored for a visual approach to runway 26 at phx at 5000 ft MSL. Due to heavy radio congestion, ATC instructed us to turn toward runway 26 final approach course was evidentially blocked first time. The second call was answered incorrectly by another aircraft. By the time a clear radio transmission was given, we were flying the assigned 180 degree heading through the runway 26 final approach course. ATC instructed 'traffic alert descend now to 4000 ft and turn right to 330 degrees and intercept runway 26 localizer.' there was another aircraft on a northerly heading on vector for runway 25L or right at the same altitude. Captain immediately started a descending right turn. The TCASII gave us an RA to climb, but only once as it happened just as or right after we had already started to descend. No more TCASII alerts were heard. ATC then cleared us for a visual approach to runway 26. The other aircraft was about 3-4 mi at 12 O'clock position, and the same altitude at its closest point and was in sight the entire time. A simple way to prevent this from happening again would be to not vector 2 airplanes directly towards each other at the same altitude, even if they are eventually going to different runways.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONGESTED FREQ, WRONG CLRNC ACCEPTED, AND A BLOCKED XMISSION DELAY RECEIPT OF A CLRNC LONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE A TFC ALERT FOR THE CTLR AND A TCASII RA FOR THE CREW AS 2 ACFT ARE NOSE TO NOSE AT THE SAME ALT APCHING PHX, AZ.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING A 180 DEGS ASSIGNED HEADING BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26 AT PHX AT 5000 FT MSL. DUE TO HVY RADIO CONGESTION, ATC INSTRUCTED US TO TURN TOWARD RWY 26 FINAL APCH COURSE WAS EVIDENTIALLY BLOCKED FIRST TIME. THE SECOND CALL WAS ANSWERED INCORRECTLY BY ANOTHER ACFT. BY THE TIME A CLR RADIO XMISSION WAS GIVEN, WE WERE FLYING THE ASSIGNED 180 DEG HDG THROUGH THE RWY 26 FINAL APCH COURSE. ATC INSTRUCTED 'TFC ALERT DSND NOW TO 4000 FT AND TURN R TO 330 DEGS AND INTERCEPT RWY 26 LOC.' THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT ON A NORTHERLY HEADING ON VECTOR FOR RWY 25L OR R AT THE SAME ALT. CAPT IMMEDIATELY STARTED A DSNDING R TURN. THE TCASII GAVE US AN RA TO CLB, BUT ONLY ONCE AS IT HAPPENED JUST AS OR RIGHT AFTER WE HAD ALREADY STARTED TO DSND. NO MORE TCASII ALERTS WERE HEARD. ATC THEN CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26. THE OTHER ACFT WAS ABOUT 3-4 MI AT 12 O'CLOCK POS, AND THE SAME ALT AT ITS CLOSEST POINT AND WAS IN SIGHT THE ENTIRE TIME. A SIMPLE WAY TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN WOULD BE TO NOT VECTOR 2 AIRPLANES DIRECTLY TOWARDS EACH OTHER AT THE SAME ALT, EVEN IF THEY ARE EVENTUALLY GOING TO DIFFERENT RWYS.

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.