Close proximity air carrier-medium large transport GA-small aircraft at plh TCA boundary.

Attributes
ACN	122380
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3800 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	122380
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On radar vectors from phl approach control 16 NM sse, 4000' MSL heading 030 degrees for ILS 27R approach. Approach control advised us traffic at 11 O'clock, 2 mi, 3800' MSL. I think I said, 'no contact, where is the traffic?' approach control said to turn left 340 degrees to intercept ILS 27R, traffic at 12 O'clock, less than 1 NM, 3900' MSL. The first officer and I looked for traffic and we noticed a blue and white small aircraft at 2-3 O'clock, same altitude at 500' away in an evasive left turn maneuver. I said to approach control, 'a little close.' no response from approach control. I called supervisor and stated the situation, and he said he was busy at another sector, and also did not know of any near miss. Also there was no alert of any TCA violations. He said he would investigate. I must admit, I am still thinking why phl approach controller did not give us radar vectors away from this aircraft at same altitude. I'm concerned that this small aircraft was in a TCA, yet very thankful he saw us, because I sincerely and strongly believe there would have been an accident if he did not take evasive action.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-MLG GA-SMA AT PLH TCA BOUNDARY.

Narrative: ON RADAR VECTORS FROM PHL APCH CTL 16 NM SSE, 4000' MSL HDG 030 DEGS FOR ILS 27R APCH. APCH CTL ADVISED US TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK, 2 MI, 3800' MSL. I THINK I SAID, 'NO CONTACT, WHERE IS THE TFC?' APCH CTL SAID TO TURN LEFT 340 DEGS TO INTERCEPT ILS 27R, TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, LESS THAN 1 NM, 3900' MSL. THE F/O AND I LOOKED FOR TFC AND WE NOTICED A BLUE AND WHITE SMA AT 2-3 O'CLOCK, SAME ALT AT 500' AWAY IN AN EVASIVE LEFT TURN MANEUVER. I SAID TO APCH CTL, 'A LITTLE CLOSE.' NO RESPONSE FROM APCH CTL. I CALLED SUPVR AND STATED THE SITUATION, AND HE SAID HE WAS BUSY AT ANOTHER SECTOR, AND ALSO DID NOT KNOW OF ANY NEAR MISS. ALSO THERE WAS NO ALERT OF ANY TCA VIOLATIONS. HE SAID HE WOULD INVESTIGATE. I MUST ADMIT, I AM STILL THINKING WHY PHL APCH CTLR DID NOT GIVE US RADAR VECTORS AWAY FROM THIS ACFT AT SAME ALT. I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS SMA WAS IN A TCA, YET VERY THANKFUL HE SAW US, BECAUSE I SINCERELY AND STRONGLY BELIEVE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT IF HE DID NOT TAKE EVASIVE ACTION.

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.