An approximation for zero-balanced Appell function F₁ near (1,1)

We suggest an approximation for the zero-balanced Appell hypergeometric function $F_1$ near the singular point $(1,1)$. Our approximation can be viewed as a generalization of Ramanujan's approximation for zero-balanced ${_2F_1}$ and is expressed in terms of ${_3F_2}$. We find an error bound and prove some basic properties of the suggested approximation which reproduce the similar properties of the Appell function. Our approximation reduces to the approximation of Carlson-Gustafson when the Appell function reduces to the first incomplete elliptic integral.