Narrative:

While on approach into atl, we were blocked at least 5 times from receiving our clearance from the final controller. The controller was extremely busy and in my opinion, was handling too many aircraft and was overloaded for a final controller. He was so busy and impatient that he would block the aircraft reading back their clrncs, thus reblocking his newly issued clrncs. I was told to maintain 5000 ft and look for air carrier Y. I saw the aircraft and informed the controller. He responded so fast that the clearance wasn't clear to me. I didn't even have a chance to respond to the controller because he was off doing something else. Since I wasn't about to fly through the localizer for runway 26R, we intercepted the localizer for runway 26R so as not to create a conflict to traffic inbound to atl on the south side. I asked 3 or 4 more times to make sure I was cleared for the visual and the controller was blocked each time. But I did hear my call sign and I did hear approach in the readback. I assumed we were cleared for the visual for runway 27R. We were about 2 mi from ajaay intersection at 5000 ft. Given that location, we should be around 2800 ft to be on the GS. We descended to around 4800 ft when I noticed a plane on TCASII descending to our right. Confused as to what was going on, I told the first officer to climb back up to 5000 ft. I called the controller for the fifth or so time if we were cleared and he responded with annoyance, 'aircraft X, cleared for the visual approach to runway 26R.' we descended and landed without incident. In retrospect, I shouldn't have descended at all -- regardless of the pressure from the controller, unless I am absolutely sure of my clearance. Although I put some blame on myself, I feel that the controller should have done something like, 'everybody be quiet, I need to talk to aircraft X.' almost every pilot on that frequency was confused because the controller was blocking his own clrncs because of his impatience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATL APCH CTLR OVERLOADED WITH TFC AND TALKING TOO FAST, CONCERNS FLC ON APCH TO RWY 26R.

Narrative: WHILE ON APCH INTO ATL, WE WERE BLOCKED AT LEAST 5 TIMES FROM RECEIVING OUR CLRNC FROM THE FINAL CTLR. THE CTLR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND IN MY OPINION, WAS HANDLING TOO MANY ACFT AND WAS OVERLOADED FOR A FINAL CTLR. HE WAS SO BUSY AND IMPATIENT THAT HE WOULD BLOCK THE ACFT READING BACK THEIR CLRNCS, THUS REBLOCKING HIS NEWLY ISSUED CLRNCS. I WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN 5000 FT AND LOOK FOR ACR Y. I SAW THE ACFT AND INFORMED THE CTLR. HE RESPONDED SO FAST THAT THE CLRNC WASN'T CLR TO ME. I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A CHANCE TO RESPOND TO THE CTLR BECAUSE HE WAS OFF DOING SOMETHING ELSE. SINCE I WASN'T ABOUT TO FLY THROUGH THE LOC FOR RWY 26R, WE INTERCEPTED THE LOC FOR RWY 26R SO AS NOT TO CREATE A CONFLICT TO TFC INBOUND TO ATL ON THE S SIDE. I ASKED 3 OR 4 MORE TIMES TO MAKE SURE I WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL AND THE CTLR WAS BLOCKED EACH TIME. BUT I DID HEAR MY CALL SIGN AND I DID HEAR APCH IN THE READBACK. I ASSUMED WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL FOR RWY 27R. WE WERE ABOUT 2 MI FROM AJAAY INTXN AT 5000 FT. GIVEN THAT LOCATION, WE SHOULD BE AROUND 2800 FT TO BE ON THE GS. WE DSNDED TO AROUND 4800 FT WHEN I NOTICED A PLANE ON TCASII DSNDING TO OUR R. CONFUSED AS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON, I TOLD THE FO TO CLB BACK UP TO 5000 FT. I CALLED THE CTLR FOR THE FIFTH OR SO TIME IF WE WERE CLRED AND HE RESPONDED WITH ANNOYANCE, 'ACFT X, CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26R.' WE DSNDED AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULDN'T HAVE DSNDED AT ALL -- REGARDLESS OF THE PRESSURE FROM THE CTLR, UNLESS I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE OF MY CLRNC. ALTHOUGH I PUT SOME BLAME ON MYSELF, I FEEL THAT THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING LIKE, 'EVERYBODY BE QUIET, I NEED TO TALK TO ACFT X.' ALMOST EVERY PLT ON THAT FREQ WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE THE CTLR WAS BLOCKING HIS OWN CLRNCS BECAUSE OF HIS IMPATIENCE.

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.