Narrative:

While being vectored for a visual approach to runway 17L at bergstrom international airport; austin; tx; approach control switched us runway 17R and turned us to heading 350 degrees. While the first officer (pilot monitoring) and I (PF) were discussing the change and setting up for runway 17R; we missed approach control calling us with heading 010 degrees and descent to 3000 ft. The second time they called us; I missed the heading and altitude; but understood that they wanted us to turn. At the same time; I saw a target on our TCAS turn yellow. It was in our 12 O'clock position at our altitude. I assumed that was traffic we were turning for and that approach had given us a base turn. I started a turn to the west to avoid the traffic and turn onto base while the first officer attempted to call approach to clarify our clearance. Before the first officer could call; approach called the regional jet that was at our 12 O'clock position and had them turn left. By the time we figured out that we were supposed to have turned right to 010 degrees and continued on downwind instead of left for a base turn; it was safer to continue to turn west to avoid the regional jet. We maintained visual contact with the rj and remained well clear and never received a TCAS TA or RA. We told ATC what we had done and asked if there was a problem. They replied that they were not sure if there was a separation problem between us and the rj; but gave us a phone number to call when we landed. I called and after they reviewed the tapes; they said that there was a loss of separation between us and the rj and that they were going to file a report. Don't get so wrapped up in setting up navaids for a different runway that you miss radio calls. Don't assume you know what ATC was clearing you to do. If you don't hear the full clearance; clarify it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FOLLOWING A LATE RWY CHANGE APPROACHING AUS; A B737-300 CREW LOST SEPARATION WITH AN RJ BECAUSE OF MISSED RADIO CALLS WHILE DOING FMS WORK.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 17L AT BERGSTROM INTL ARPT; AUSTIN; TX; APCH CTL SWITCHED US RWY 17R AND TURNED US TO HDG 350 DEGS. WHILE THE FO (PLT MONITORING) AND I (PF) WERE DISCUSSING THE CHANGE AND SETTING UP FOR RWY 17R; WE MISSED APCH CTL CALLING US WITH HDG 010 DEGS AND DSCNT TO 3000 FT. THE SECOND TIME THEY CALLED US; I MISSED THE HDG AND ALT; BUT UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY WANTED US TO TURN. AT THE SAME TIME; I SAW A TARGET ON OUR TCAS TURN YELLOW. IT WAS IN OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS AT OUR ALT. I ASSUMED THAT WAS TFC WE WERE TURNING FOR AND THAT APCH HAD GIVEN US A BASE TURN. I STARTED A TURN TO THE W TO AVOID THE TFC AND TURN ONTO BASE WHILE THE FO ATTEMPTED TO CALL APCH TO CLARIFY OUR CLRNC. BEFORE THE FO COULD CALL; APCH CALLED THE REGIONAL JET THAT WAS AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS AND HAD THEM TURN L. BY THE TIME WE FIGURED OUT THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE TURNED R TO 010 DEGS AND CONTINUED ON DOWNWIND INSTEAD OF L FOR A BASE TURN; IT WAS SAFER TO CONTINUE TO TURN W TO AVOID THE REGIONAL JET. WE MAINTAINED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RJ AND REMAINED WELL CLR AND NEVER RECEIVED A TCAS TA OR RA. WE TOLD ATC WHAT WE HAD DONE AND ASKED IF THERE WAS A PROB. THEY REPLIED THAT THEY WERE NOT SURE IF THERE WAS A SEPARATION PROB BTWN US AND THE RJ; BUT GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL WHEN WE LANDED. I CALLED AND AFTER THEY REVIEWED THE TAPES; THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS A LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN US AND THE RJ AND THAT THEY WERE GOING TO FILE A RPT. DON'T GET SO WRAPPED UP IN SETTING UP NAVAIDS FOR A DIFFERENT RWY THAT YOU MISS RADIO CALLS. DON'T ASSUME YOU KNOW WHAT ATC WAS CLRING YOU TO DO. IF YOU DON'T HEAR THE FULL CLRNC; CLARIFY IT.

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.