Near midair collision. Unknown VFR traffic in TRSA.

Attributes
ACN	113104
Time
Date	198906
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : psp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8600 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : psp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other 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
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 23736 flight time type : 485
ASRS Report	113104
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

During approach for landing at palm springs, while on vectors from approach control, we were given a traffic advisory for our 10 O'clock position, 2 mi, northbound 8400'. We were at our assigned level of 9000'. I reported that 'we're looking but it's quite hazy'. Being anxious for descent I reported 'we have the field in sight'. We were cleared to descend to 4000'. The pilot flying elected to hold his altitude in order to slow up before descending. At that moment I saw an small aircraft at 1 O'clock passing left to right about 200' below and 200' ahead. I called approach control and told him of the traffic. He said 'I thought you said you had the traffic in sight'. I said 'no, I said we were looking for him'. He then asked if we had the airport in sight and I said 'yes we reported that earlier'. We were then cleared for the approach. I think the controller mistook our report of 'field in sight' for 'traffic in sight'. There is a real need for standardizing the terminology in reporting, and replying to reports of conflicting traffic. 'Tally ho', 'we've got 'em', 'negative contact', 'contact', 'no contact', 'in sight', all can lead to one hearing what he wants to hear and a breakdown in communication. I feel that is what happened in this case.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC. UNKNOWN VFR TRAFFIC IN TRSA.

Narrative: DURING APCH FOR LNDG AT PALM SPRINGS, WHILE ON VECTORS FROM APCH CTL, WE WERE GIVEN A TFC ADVISORY FOR OUR 10 O'CLOCK POSITION, 2 MI, NBOUND 8400'. WE WERE AT OUR ASSIGNED LEVEL OF 9000'. I REPORTED THAT 'WE'RE LOOKING BUT IT'S QUITE HAZY'. BEING ANXIOUS FOR DSCNT I REPORTED 'WE HAVE THE FIELD IN SIGHT'. WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 4000'. THE PLT FLYING ELECTED TO HOLD HIS ALT IN ORDER TO SLOW UP BEFORE DSNDING. AT THAT MOMENT I SAW AN SMA AT 1 O'CLOCK PASSING LEFT TO RIGHT ABOUT 200' BELOW AND 200' AHEAD. I CALLED APCH CTL AND TOLD HIM OF THE TFC. HE SAID 'I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT'. I SAID 'NO, I SAID WE WERE LOOKING FOR HIM'. HE THEN ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND I SAID 'YES WE REPORTED THAT EARLIER'. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR THE APCH. I THINK THE CTLR MISTOOK OUR REPORT OF 'FIELD IN SIGHT' FOR 'TFC IN SIGHT'. THERE IS A REAL NEED FOR STANDARDIZING THE TERMINOLOGY IN REPORTING, AND REPLYING TO REPORTS OF CONFLICTING TFC. 'TALLY HO', 'WE'VE GOT 'EM', 'NEGATIVE CONTACT', 'CONTACT', 'NO CONTACT', 'IN SIGHT', ALL CAN LEAD TO ONE HEARING WHAT HE WANTS TO HEAR AND A BREAKDOWN IN COM. I FEEL THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS CASE.

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.