Small aircraft in the arsa did not comply with ATC instructions.

Attributes
ACN	102836
Time
Date	198901
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pvd
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oqu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 17570 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	102836
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was vectored for a visibility approach into pvd for runway 23L. I was cleared descent to 3000'. I reported airport/runway in sight. Approach advised to maintain 3000' until clear of traffic at 2500' to our 1-2 O'clock position. On passing 3200' toward 3000' my first officer pointed out traffic at 3500' moving in same direction. We advised approach about this guy and he was slightly shocked when he thus learned that the traffic he was keeping us away from was in reality right in our path. I needed no evasive maneuver since he was spotted in time to our right. It turned out he was supposed to remain at 2500' yet he decided to ignore approach due to the fact he was VFR in airport area and did not inform approach of his changing altitude. Airline pilots get fined heavily for busting altitudes, but VFR pilots are a definite potential disaster waiting to happen. Small and large aircraft do not mix easily in same traffic area at the same time, especially if the small guy ignores his ATC instructions, even if VFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA IN THE ARSA DID NOT COMPLY WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: I WAS VECTORED FOR A VIS APCH INTO PVD FOR RWY 23L. I WAS CLRED DSCNT TO 3000'. I RPTED ARPT/RWY IN SIGHT. APCH ADVISED TO MAINTAIN 3000' UNTIL CLR OF TFC AT 2500' TO OUR 1-2 O'CLOCK POS. ON PASSING 3200' TOWARD 3000' MY F/O POINTED OUT TFC AT 3500' MOVING IN SAME DIRECTION. WE ADVISED APCH ABOUT THIS GUY AND HE WAS SLIGHTLY SHOCKED WHEN HE THUS LEARNED THAT THE TFC HE WAS KEEPING US AWAY FROM WAS IN REALITY RIGHT IN OUR PATH. I NEEDED NO EVASIVE MANEUVER SINCE HE WAS SPOTTED IN TIME TO OUR RIGHT. IT TURNED OUT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO REMAIN AT 2500' YET HE DECIDED TO IGNORE APCH DUE TO THE FACT HE WAS VFR IN ARPT AREA AND DID NOT INFORM APCH OF HIS CHANGING ALT. AIRLINE PLTS GET FINED HEAVILY FOR BUSTING ALTS, BUT VFR PLTS ARE A DEFINITE POTENTIAL DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. SMALL AND LARGE ACFT DO NOT MIX EASILY IN SAME TFC AREA AT THE SAME TIME, ESPECIALLY IF THE SMALL GUY IGNORES HIS ATC INSTRUCTIONS, EVEN IF VFR.

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.