Narrative:

Arriving in mia from dca. We were planning on a visual approach to runway 8. We were on a left base leg about 10 mi west, heading 180 degrees, speed 190 KTS, and 3000 ft. We had the airport in sight, but were still being vectored and had not received approach clearance. Approaching from the south (our 1 O'clock position) was a DC10 getting lined up for runway 9R. On the 180 degree heading and the DC10's track, I was getting quite nervous that the controller had not turned us yet, or even pointed out the traffic approaching. I finally asked the controller 'are you going to turn air carrier X?' he came back and said to turn left to 090 degrees, which we did, using 30 degrees bank, but we were going to go through not only the final for runway 8, but also for runway 9L. I told him this, and he said to turn left to 070 degrees and asked if we had the airport in sight. I told him we did, but I was more worried about the DC10 just off to our right. He asked if we had the DC10 in sight, to which I replied 'duh.' he then told us to maintain visual separation from the DC10 and cleared for the visual approach to runway 8. I read back the clearance, and then said that this little fiasco was 'really smooth.' he said he was sorry, but that he was busy, and I think he said 'with other things.' I couldn't believe it. What other things? If we had been in IMC, who knows what would have happened. I'm sure TCASII would have helped, but this time I feel we were lucky.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 ON VISUAL APCH TO MIA RWY 8, EXPERIENCES CONFLICT WITH PARALLEL TFC TO RWY 9R.

Narrative: ARRIVING IN MIA FROM DCA. WE WERE PLANNING ON A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 8. WE WERE ON A L BASE LEG ABOUT 10 MI W, HEADING 180 DEGS, SPD 190 KTS, AND 3000 FT. WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT, BUT WERE STILL BEING VECTORED AND HAD NOT RECEIVED APCH CLRNC. APCHING FROM THE S (OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS) WAS A DC10 GETTING LINED UP FOR RWY 9R. ON THE 180 DEG HDG AND THE DC10'S TRACK, I WAS GETTING QUITE NERVOUS THAT THE CTLR HAD NOT TURNED US YET, OR EVEN POINTED OUT THE TFC APCHING. I FINALLY ASKED THE CTLR 'ARE YOU GOING TO TURN ACR X?' HE CAME BACK AND SAID TO TURN L TO 090 DEGS, WHICH WE DID, USING 30 DEGS BANK, BUT WE WERE GOING TO GO THROUGH NOT ONLY THE FINAL FOR RWY 8, BUT ALSO FOR RWY 9L. I TOLD HIM THIS, AND HE SAID TO TURN L TO 070 DEGS AND ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I TOLD HIM WE DID, BUT I WAS MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE DC10 JUST OFF TO OUR R. HE ASKED IF WE HAD THE DC10 IN SIGHT, TO WHICH I REPLIED 'DUH.' HE THEN TOLD US TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE DC10 AND CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 8. I READ BACK THE CLRNC, AND THEN SAID THAT THIS LITTLE FIASCO WAS 'REALLY SMOOTH.' HE SAID HE WAS SORRY, BUT THAT HE WAS BUSY, AND I THINK HE SAID 'WITH OTHER THINGS.' I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. WHAT OTHER THINGS? IF WE HAD BEEN IN IMC, WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. I'M SURE TCASII WOULD HAVE HELPED, BUT THIS TIME I FEEL WE WERE LUCKY.

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.