Narrative:

I'm new first officer on the light transport X. I'm assigned to fly with a captain I'm not familiar with. After a series of problems with the aircraft, maintenance pins the gear down and we're released again to fly the remainder of our line. It's a dark night. We're level at 6000 MSL, heading 180 degree. Radar vectors from columbia approach. Columbia calls traffic to us at '12 O'clock, 5000', northbound, light transport Y'. I have a visual on the traffic. The captain does not. I turned on our landing lights. The light transport Y does also. I asked the captain if he has the traffic now. He says yes. I report in sight to approach. They give us, 'roger, turn right 210 degree, descend and maintain 3000'. Maintain visual separation). The traffic is at our 12:30 to 1 O'clock position. 210 degree will bring us across his path. But the captain has said he has the traffic. He turns to 210 degree and commences descent. I begin my checklist (passenger briefing, etc). Next check reveals we're getting closer to our traffic. I believe I asked the captain if he still had the traffic again, but I'm not sure. He is a fairly senior captain and I'm hesitant to question his decision. I begin my checklist again and waiting for him to do something to change the situation. We now have constant bearing and rapidly decreasing range with our traffic. If nothing changes, I've decided I can snatch the nose up at the last moment and clear the light transport Y by going over it. I do not expect this to be necessary. I realize, too late, he doesn't intend to go over it. He wants to go under and has pitched the nose even lower. There's no time to do or say anything. I estimate we missed no more than 50' vertical, and no more than 100' horizontal. I noticed, as we passed beneath, our airspeed was approximately 195 KTS, gear pinned down is 162 KTS. Afterward, we mentioned the incident only briefly. The captain stated he didn't realize the traffic was northbound. It's possible he didn't hear approach call the traffic northbound, but they don't put landing lights on the back of aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX COMMUTER LTT UNK-LTT NEAR CAE, SC.

Narrative: I'M NEW F/O ON THE LTT X. I'M ASSIGNED TO FLY WITH A CAPT I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH. AFTER A SERIES OF PROBLEMS WITH THE ACFT, MAINT PINS THE GEAR DOWN AND WE'RE RELEASED AGAIN TO FLY THE REMAINDER OF OUR LINE. IT'S A DARK NIGHT. WE'RE LEVEL AT 6000 MSL, HDG 180 DEG. RADAR VECTORS FROM COLUMBIA APCH. COLUMBIA CALLS TFC TO US AT '12 O'CLOCK, 5000', NBND, LTT Y'. I HAVE A VISUAL ON THE TFC. THE CAPT DOES NOT. I TURNED ON OUR LNDG LIGHTS. THE LTT Y DOES ALSO. I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE HAS THE TFC NOW. HE SAYS YES. I REPORT IN SIGHT TO APCH. THEY GIVE US, 'ROGER, TURN RIGHT 210 DEG, DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000'. MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION). THE TFC IS AT OUR 12:30 TO 1 O'CLOCK POSITION. 210 DEG WILL BRING US ACROSS HIS PATH. BUT THE CAPT HAS SAID HE HAS THE TFC. HE TURNS TO 210 DEG AND COMMENCES DSCNT. I BEGIN MY CHECKLIST (PAX BRIEFING, ETC). NEXT CHECK REVEALS WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO OUR TFC. I BELIEVE I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE STILL HAD THE TFC AGAIN, BUT I'M NOT SURE. HE IS A FAIRLY SENIOR CAPT AND I'M HESITANT TO QUESTION HIS DECISION. I BEGIN MY CHECKLIST AGAIN AND WAITING FOR HIM TO DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE THE SITUATION. WE NOW HAVE CONSTANT BEARING AND RAPIDLY DECREASING RANGE WITH OUR TFC. IF NOTHING CHANGES, I'VE DECIDED I CAN SNATCH THE NOSE UP AT THE LAST MOMENT AND CLEAR THE LTT Y BY GOING OVER IT. I DO NOT EXPECT THIS TO BE NECESSARY. I REALIZE, TOO LATE, HE DOESN'T INTEND TO GO OVER IT. HE WANTS TO GO UNDER AND HAS PITCHED THE NOSE EVEN LOWER. THERE'S NO TIME TO DO OR SAY ANYTHING. I ESTIMATE WE MISSED NO MORE THAN 50' VERTICAL, AND NO MORE THAN 100' HORIZONTAL. I NOTICED, AS WE PASSED BENEATH, OUR AIRSPEED WAS APPROX 195 KTS, GEAR PINNED DOWN IS 162 KTS. AFTERWARD, WE MENTIONED THE INCIDENT ONLY BRIEFLY. THE CAPT STATED HE DIDN'T REALIZE THE TFC WAS NBND. IT'S POSSIBLE HE DIDN'T HEAR APCH CALL THE TFC NBND, BUT THEY DON'T PUT LNDG LIGHTS ON THE BACK OF ACFT.

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.