Narrative:

The event was started all from ATC's poor planning. We first were held at FL190 till approximately 32 mi from the field. The controller was working 2 frequencys and after several prompts he started us down. We were handed off to approach; which had us maintain present heading about 098 degrees towards the belcher VOR for sequencing. We hoped this was for altitude loss. This was for stepping us down over inbound aircraft. We were assigned another heading more towards the field and then asked to intercept the localizer to which we did. This controller was also working 2 frequencys. At approximately 15 mi out; we notified approach that we had the field in sight for sequencing. At this time; we were still at 4000 ft and he was still stepping us down over traffic. He was asking another aircraft if he had the traffic and the field in sight to which he responded he did. The approach controller then cleared him to maintain visual separation and cleared the visual approach. We then discovered that we were the traffic to follow. The commander was on a convergent course ahead and below us. The controller then cleared us 3500 ft to which we acknowledged but stated an objection to this scenario to which I felt was not going to work. The controller stated that the commander was maintaining visual separation; at night. We still had not received approach clearance. The commander crossed our path and the localizer at 1000 ft below us and approximately 1.5 - 2 mi ahead at about 8 DME on the localizer. He contacted the controller who then cleared him via a right turn back to the field. At this point; how can he maintain visual separation? At 6 DME and 3500 ft; we were cleared the approach and to contact tower. I believe the commander never had us in sight. I began a slight descent and decided not to accept the approach due to safety and it would not meet stabilized approach criteria. We contacted the tower and were about to tell them of our go around intentions when we received an RA at 3300 ft to monitor vertical speed and we complied with the RA till completion. This was due to the commander turning back under us on the approach. My first officer then told the tower that we were going around due to the RA. The tower gave us the clearance to maintain heading and level at 3000 ft to which we complied and completed go around procedures. When handed back to approach; I stated to the controller that we went around due to the RA from the commander. He stated that the commander had been given clearance back to the field. We received vectors and dscnts back around for a non eventful approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 FLT CREW HAS A TCAS RA DURING APCH TO SHV.

Narrative: THE EVENT WAS STARTED ALL FROM ATC'S POOR PLANNING. WE FIRST WERE HELD AT FL190 TILL APPROX 32 MI FROM THE FIELD. THE CTLR WAS WORKING 2 FREQS AND AFTER SEVERAL PROMPTS HE STARTED US DOWN. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO APCH; WHICH HAD US MAINTAIN PRESENT HDG ABOUT 098 DEGS TOWARDS THE BELCHER VOR FOR SEQUENCING. WE HOPED THIS WAS FOR ALT LOSS. THIS WAS FOR STEPPING US DOWN OVER INBOUND ACFT. WE WERE ASSIGNED ANOTHER HDG MORE TOWARDS THE FIELD AND THEN ASKED TO INTERCEPT THE LOC TO WHICH WE DID. THIS CTLR WAS ALSO WORKING 2 FREQS. AT APPROX 15 MI OUT; WE NOTIFIED APCH THAT WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT FOR SEQUENCING. AT THIS TIME; WE WERE STILL AT 4000 FT AND HE WAS STILL STEPPING US DOWN OVER TFC. HE WAS ASKING ANOTHER ACFT IF HE HAD THE TFC AND THE FIELD IN SIGHT TO WHICH HE RESPONDED HE DID. THE APCH CTLR THEN CLRED HIM TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION AND CLRED THE VISUAL APCH. WE THEN DISCOVERED THAT WE WERE THE TFC TO FOLLOW. THE COMMANDER WAS ON A CONVERGENT COURSE AHEAD AND BELOW US. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US 3500 FT TO WHICH WE ACKNOWLEDGED BUT STATED AN OBJECTION TO THIS SCENARIO TO WHICH I FELT WAS NOT GOING TO WORK. THE CTLR STATED THAT THE COMMANDER WAS MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION; AT NIGHT. WE STILL HAD NOT RECEIVED APCH CLRNC. THE COMMANDER CROSSED OUR PATH AND THE LOC AT 1000 FT BELOW US AND APPROX 1.5 - 2 MI AHEAD AT ABOUT 8 DME ON THE LOC. HE CONTACTED THE CTLR WHO THEN CLRED HIM VIA A R TURN BACK TO THE FIELD. AT THIS POINT; HOW CAN HE MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION? AT 6 DME AND 3500 FT; WE WERE CLRED THE APCH AND TO CONTACT TWR. I BELIEVE THE COMMANDER NEVER HAD US IN SIGHT. I BEGAN A SLIGHT DSCNT AND DECIDED NOT TO ACCEPT THE APCH DUE TO SAFETY AND IT WOULD NOT MEET STABILIZED APCH CRITERIA. WE CONTACTED THE TWR AND WERE ABOUT TO TELL THEM OF OUR GAR INTENTIONS WHEN WE RECEIVED AN RA AT 3300 FT TO MONITOR VERT SPD AND WE COMPLIED WITH THE RA TILL COMPLETION. THIS WAS DUE TO THE COMMANDER TURNING BACK UNDER US ON THE APCH. MY FO THEN TOLD THE TWR THAT WE WERE GOING AROUND DUE TO THE RA. THE TWR GAVE US THE CLRNC TO MAINTAIN HDG AND LEVEL AT 3000 FT TO WHICH WE COMPLIED AND COMPLETED GAR PROCS. WHEN HANDED BACK TO APCH; I STATED TO THE CTLR THAT WE WENT AROUND DUE TO THE RA FROM THE COMMANDER. HE STATED THAT THE COMMANDER HAD BEEN GIVEN CLRNC BACK TO THE FIELD. WE RECEIVED VECTORS AND DSCNTS BACK AROUND FOR A NON EVENTFUL APCH.

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.