Evasive action. Close proximity.

Attributes
ACN	100307
Time
Date	198812
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw tower : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	100307
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Airlines flight had intercepted the localizer 31R at dfw at 5000'. Approach control gave a descent to 3000' and a turn to 270 degree for sep on traffic in front of us on the localizer. As we turned left and began to descend I noticed an small aircraft at our altitude about .5 mi left of us paralleling the localizer. We nosed our aircraft over to avoid the aircraft. At the time of the event we were 22 DME ut on the localizer. We were both about to enter the TCA but only one of us was talking to ATC and had permission. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. Reporter states it is common procedure for ATC to clear turbo propeller aircraft below TCA on approach. This puts them in conflict with other aircraft not communicating with ATC. Each party in this incident was legal because still outside TCA boundaries. ATC did not paint the second aircraft at any time during this approach. Reporter feels procedure unsafe and company and alpa have attempted changes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EVASIVE ACTION. CLOSE PROX.

Narrative: AIRLINES FLT HAD INTERCEPTED THE LOC 31R AT DFW AT 5000'. APCH CTL GAVE A DSCNT TO 3000' AND A TURN TO 270 DEG FOR SEP ON TFC IN FRONT OF US ON THE LOC. AS WE TURNED L AND BEGAN TO DSND I NOTICED AN SMA AT OUR ALT ABOUT .5 MI L OF US PARALLELING THE LOC. WE NOSED OUR ACFT OVER TO AVOID THE ACFT. AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT WE WERE 22 DME UT ON THE LOC. WE WERE BOTH ABOUT TO ENTER THE TCA BUT ONLY ONE OF US WAS TALKING TO ATC AND HAD PERMISSION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES IT IS COMMON PROC FOR ATC TO CLR TURBO PROP ACFT BELOW TCA ON APCH. THIS PUTS THEM IN CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT NOT COMMUNICATING WITH ATC. EACH PARTY IN THIS INCIDENT WAS LEGAL BECAUSE STILL OUTSIDE TCA BOUNDARIES. ATC DID NOT PAINT THE SECOND ACFT AT ANY TIME DURING THIS APCH. RPTR FEELS PROC UNSAFE AND COMPANY AND ALPA HAVE ATTEMPTED CHANGES.

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.