Potential conflict making a visual approach to parallel runways den.

Attributes
ACN	91153
Time
Date	198807
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 12000
ASRS Report	91153
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were on a vector for an ILS DME 1 runway 8R approach to den. We were on a left downwind with assigned heading, altitude and speed. The controller said, 'you are now on a vector for a visual to 8L. Do you see the medium large transport at 11 O'clock, 4 mi?' we said yes. The controller said, 'maintain visual sep from that medium large transport, you are not cleared for a visual approach, turn to a heading of 170 degrees.' we started the turn and it became obvious the heading would have caused a collision hazard if not a collision. We stopped the turn and asked the controller what altitude he wanted. He said 8000', 'do you see the airport?' we said yes. He said, 'cleared for a visual to 8L and maintain visual sep from the medium large transport. He's for the right.' this was an near midair collision. Comment: this is the same sloppy, hazardous, half IFR/half VFR approach procedure that sfo is using with its parallel runways which are spaced too close for simultaneous operations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT MAKING A VISUAL APCH TO PARALLEL RWYS DEN.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A VECTOR FOR AN ILS DME 1 RWY 8R APCH TO DEN. WE WERE ON A LEFT DOWNWIND WITH ASSIGNED HDG, ALT AND SPD. THE CTLR SAID, 'YOU ARE NOW ON A VECTOR FOR A VISUAL TO 8L. DO YOU SEE THE MLG AT 11 O'CLOCK, 4 MI?' WE SAID YES. THE CTLR SAID, 'MAINTAIN VISUAL SEP FROM THAT MLG, YOU ARE NOT CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH, TURN TO A HDG OF 170 DEGS.' WE STARTED THE TURN AND IT BECAME OBVIOUS THE HDG WOULD HAVE CAUSED A COLLISION HAZARD IF NOT A COLLISION. WE STOPPED THE TURN AND ASKED THE CTLR WHAT ALT HE WANTED. HE SAID 8000', 'DO YOU SEE THE ARPT?' WE SAID YES. HE SAID, 'CLRED FOR A VISUAL TO 8L AND MAINTAIN VISUAL SEP FROM THE MLG. HE'S FOR THE RIGHT.' THIS WAS AN NMAC. COMMENT: THIS IS THE SAME SLOPPY, HAZARDOUS, HALF IFR/HALF VFR APCH PROC THAT SFO IS USING WITH ITS PARALLEL RWYS WHICH ARE SPACED TOO CLOSE FOR SIMULTANEOUS OPS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.