A320 flight crew has to deviate from heading and altitude during parallel approach to las to avoid a...

Attributes
ACN	689868
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Windshear
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 880
ASRS Report	689868
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were cleared for visual approach to runway 25L at las at about larre. An MD80 crossed in front of us and was on the visual for runway 25R (runway 25R localizer was OTS). We reported the MD80 in sight and were told to maintain visual on him. Visibility was good but there was blowing dust at the airport and it was a little hard to see runway 25R. The MD80 was 1500 ft below us (TCAS verified) when he started a left turn and started drifting underneath of us. I lost sight of him at this time; and so did the captain. We noticed that the separation was now at 1000 ft and diminishing; so we notified approach control that we lost the traffic going underneath us. The approach controller asked the MD80 if they had the airbus in sight for runway 25L and they said they did. She told the MD80 crew to maintain the visual on traffic for runway 25L (us). They said they would but could not see runway 25R. The approach controller told the MD80 crew to 'track the localizer for runway 25L; cleared for the visual runway 25R.' the captain told me to level off because TCAS showed the MD80 right underneath us at approximately 700 ft level (we were descending on the approach). The captain then told the controller again that the MD80 was underneath us; and she said they had us in sight; cleared visual runway 25L. The MD80 crew was looking ahead of them at the next airplane for runway 25L. (They could not see us right above them). The captain told the controller that the were looking at the wrong aircraft; so she broke the MD80 off to the right. Then the controller asked them if runway 25R was in sight. They said yes; so she reclred them for the visual runway 25R. They are now directly abeam us so we get an RA on them. We comply; tell the controller and she said they have us in sight; cleared visual runway 25L. I can see the MD80 so we maintain separation and land without any further problems. Since when do airplanes for runway 25R get cleared to track the localizer for runway 25L.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW HAS TO DEVIATE FROM HDG AND ALT DURING PARALLEL APCH TO LAS TO AVOID ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 25L AT LAS AT ABOUT LARRE. AN MD80 CROSSED IN FRONT OF US AND WAS ON THE VISUAL FOR RWY 25R (RWY 25R LOC WAS OTS). WE RPTED THE MD80 IN SIGHT AND WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN VISUAL ON HIM. VISIBILITY WAS GOOD BUT THERE WAS BLOWING DUST AT THE ARPT AND IT WAS A LITTLE HARD TO SEE RWY 25R. THE MD80 WAS 1500 FT BELOW US (TCAS VERIFIED) WHEN HE STARTED A L TURN AND STARTED DRIFTING UNDERNEATH OF US. I LOST SIGHT OF HIM AT THIS TIME; AND SO DID THE CAPT. WE NOTICED THAT THE SEPARATION WAS NOW AT 1000 FT AND DIMINISHING; SO WE NOTIFIED APCH CTL THAT WE LOST THE TFC GOING UNDERNEATH US. THE APCH CTLR ASKED THE MD80 IF THEY HAD THE AIRBUS IN SIGHT FOR RWY 25L AND THEY SAID THEY DID. SHE TOLD THE MD80 CREW TO MAINTAIN THE VISUAL ON TFC FOR RWY 25L (US). THEY SAID THEY WOULD BUT COULD NOT SEE RWY 25R. THE APCH CTLR TOLD THE MD80 CREW TO 'TRACK THE LOC FOR RWY 25L; CLRED FOR THE VISUAL RWY 25R.' THE CAPT TOLD ME TO LEVEL OFF BECAUSE TCAS SHOWED THE MD80 RIGHT UNDERNEATH US AT APPROX 700 FT LEVEL (WE WERE DSNDING ON THE APCH). THE CAPT THEN TOLD THE CTLR AGAIN THAT THE MD80 WAS UNDERNEATH US; AND SHE SAID THEY HAD US IN SIGHT; CLRED VISUAL RWY 25L. THE MD80 CREW WAS LOOKING AHEAD OF THEM AT THE NEXT AIRPLANE FOR RWY 25L. (THEY COULD NOT SEE US RIGHT ABOVE THEM). THE CAPT TOLD THE CTLR THAT THE WERE LOOKING AT THE WRONG ACFT; SO SHE BROKE THE MD80 OFF TO THE R. THEN THE CTLR ASKED THEM IF RWY 25R WAS IN SIGHT. THEY SAID YES; SO SHE RECLRED THEM FOR THE VISUAL RWY 25R. THEY ARE NOW DIRECTLY ABEAM US SO WE GET AN RA ON THEM. WE COMPLY; TELL THE CTLR AND SHE SAID THEY HAVE US IN SIGHT; CLRED VISUAL RWY 25L. I CAN SEE THE MD80 SO WE MAINTAIN SEPARATION AND LAND WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBS. SINCE WHEN DO AIRPLANES FOR RWY 25R GET CLRED TO TRACK THE LOC FOR RWY 25L.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A320 flight crew has to deviate from heading and altitude during parallel approach to las to avoid another aircraft.