Narrative:

My aircraft was on a vector of 360 degrees, to be vectored through the localizer for runway 27 at mem airport. We were south of the localizer established at 4000 ft MSL approximately 15 mi from the field. Our traffic was 2 B727's, 1 on about a 7 mi final intercepting the localizer from the northeast and 1 at approximately 20 mi (estimated) to the northeast of the localizer on an approximately heading of 240 degrees. As we crossed through the localizer we had been given a new heading 0F 300 degrees. We were told that we were going to be sequenced between the 2 aircraft. Unfortunately, the more distant B727 acknowledged the call. We were then given a left turn of heading 240 degrees and what I believe to be a descent to 3000 ft to intercept the localizer and to call the runway in sight. The captain began his turn and a descent. The altitude controller on the fcp was not changed (my responsibility). Because of all the noise and pilot communication on the radio, I was unable to verify the altitude clearance as well as unable to clarify that the more distant B727 had acknowledged the sequence. I was keeping an eye on the B727, which appeared to be closing on us rapidly. The controller issued a clearance to him to turn further left to a heading of 160 degrees. I made several attempts to get the controller's attention prior to all of this. I even announced 'break' on the radio several times in an attempt to hush communications. As the B727 approached us and slightly behind, I noticed on TCASII he was only 300 ft below us, while we were on a descent through 3700 ft. The captain said he had him in sight. We received an RA to climb with an indication on our vsi to increase climb rate to 300 FPM. We leveled off as the boeing passed behind us. TCASII then informed us 'clear of conflict.' by now we were on an intercept heading to the localizer approximately 3 mi from the FAF and about 1500 ft high. We were then cleared to descend to 2000 ft and cleared for a visual approach. I then informed ATC that we had just received an RA. He acknowledged 'roger.' the traffic we were following was only 3 mi away and we were closing fast. We were too close and the captain elected to go around. Several factors led to this incident. The most prevalent was that the controller was overloaded with vectoring aircraft. Also, there was so much communication on the radio that no one could get a word in.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A310 FLC STOPPED APCH DSCNT AND CLBED IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA OF A B727 XING THROUGH THEIR FLT PATH 300 FT BELOW.

Narrative: MY ACFT WAS ON A VECTOR OF 360 DEGS, TO BE VECTORED THROUGH THE LOC FOR RWY 27 AT MEM ARPT. WE WERE S OF THE LOC ESTABLISHED AT 4000 FT MSL APPROX 15 MI FROM THE FIELD. OUR TFC WAS 2 B727'S, 1 ON ABOUT A 7 MI FINAL INTERCEPTING THE LOC FROM THE NE AND 1 AT APPROX 20 MI (ESTIMATED) TO THE NE OF THE LOC ON AN APPROX HDG OF 240 DEGS. AS WE CROSSED THROUGH THE LOC WE HAD BEEN GIVEN A NEW HDG 0F 300 DEGS. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE SEQUENCED BTWN THE 2 ACFT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE MORE DISTANT B727 ACKNOWLEDGED THE CALL. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A L TURN OF HDG 240 DEGS AND WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE A DSCNT TO 3000 FT TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AND TO CALL THE RWY IN SIGHT. THE CAPT BEGAN HIS TURN AND A DSCNT. THE ALT CONTROLLER ON THE FCP WAS NOT CHANGED (MY RESPONSIBILITY). BECAUSE OF ALL THE NOISE AND PLT COM ON THE RADIO, I WAS UNABLE TO VERIFY THE ALT CLRNC AS WELL AS UNABLE TO CLARIFY THAT THE MORE DISTANT B727 HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THE SEQUENCE. I WAS KEEPING AN EYE ON THE B727, WHICH APPEARED TO BE CLOSING ON US RAPIDLY. THE CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC TO HIM TO TURN FURTHER L TO A HDG OF 160 DEGS. I MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THE CTLR'S ATTN PRIOR TO ALL OF THIS. I EVEN ANNOUNCED 'BREAK' ON THE RADIO SEVERAL TIMES IN AN ATTEMPT TO HUSH COMS. AS THE B727 APCHED US AND SLIGHTLY BEHIND, I NOTICED ON TCASII HE WAS ONLY 300 FT BELOW US, WHILE WE WERE ON A DSCNT THROUGH 3700 FT. THE CAPT SAID HE HAD HIM IN SIGHT. WE RECEIVED AN RA TO CLB WITH AN INDICATION ON OUR VSI TO INCREASE CLB RATE TO 300 FPM. WE LEVELED OFF AS THE BOEING PASSED BEHIND US. TCASII THEN INFORMED US 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' BY NOW WE WERE ON AN INTERCEPT HDG TO THE LOC APPROX 3 MI FROM THE FAF AND ABOUT 1500 FT HIGH. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO DSND TO 2000 FT AND CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. I THEN INFORMED ATC THAT WE HAD JUST RECEIVED AN RA. HE ACKNOWLEDGED 'ROGER.' THE TFC WE WERE FOLLOWING WAS ONLY 3 MI AWAY AND WE WERE CLOSING FAST. WE WERE TOO CLOSE AND THE CAPT ELECTED TO GO AROUND. SEVERAL FACTORS LED TO THIS INCIDENT. THE MOST PREVALENT WAS THAT THE CTLR WAS OVERLOADED WITH VECTORING ACFT. ALSO, THERE WAS SO MUCH COM ON THE RADIO THAT NO ONE COULD GET A WORD IN.

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.