Large transport crew had traffic called as they were cleared for descent. Looking for traffic into s...

Attributes
ACN	133123
Time
Date	199001
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : llc
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : rno
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
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 : 130 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	133123
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Reporter was captain of an large transport on ferry flight from hdn to rno. ZOA handed us to rno approach approximately 10 DME west of the lovelock VOR, and a clearance to proceed along the lovelock R240 to 40 DME for the rno arrival. Our first or second comm with rno approach gave us clearance to 9000' with a traffic call at 1 O'clock, 5-6 mi, a VFR target at 11400'. We were looking into a sunset and could not see traffic. Approximately 30 seconds later I requested a traffic call as we neared 11000'. The controller called it 1 O'clock and 1 mi. We missed the small aircraft by 400'. At no time did the controller call a traffic conflict alert, vector us away from the traffic or take other evasive or precautionary action. Could it be that radar coverage is not the best in that mountainous terrain around rno? Why was no traffic alert triggered by converging aircraft, both with mode C less than 1000' apart? By the way, the small aircraft was perfectly legal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CREW HAD TRAFFIC CALLED AS THEY WERE CLEARED FOR DESCENT. LOOKING FOR TRAFFIC INTO SUN, MISSED BY 400'.

Narrative: RPTR WAS CAPT OF AN LGT ON FERRY FLT FROM HDN TO RNO. ZOA HANDED US TO RNO APCH APPROX 10 DME W OF THE LOVELOCK VOR, AND A CLRNC TO PROCEED ALONG THE LOVELOCK R240 TO 40 DME FOR THE RNO ARR. OUR FIRST OR SECOND COMM WITH RNO APCH GAVE US CLRNC TO 9000' WITH A TFC CALL AT 1 O'CLOCK, 5-6 MI, A VFR TARGET AT 11400'. WE WERE LOOKING INTO A SUNSET AND COULD NOT SEE TFC. APPROX 30 SECS LATER I REQUESTED A TFC CALL AS WE NEARED 11000'. THE CTLR CALLED IT 1 O'CLOCK AND 1 MI. WE MISSED THE SMA BY 400'. AT NO TIME DID THE CTLR CALL A TFC CONFLICT ALERT, VECTOR US AWAY FROM THE TFC OR TAKE OTHER EVASIVE OR PRECAUTIONARY ACTION. COULD IT BE THAT RADAR COVERAGE IS NOT THE BEST IN THAT MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AROUND RNO? WHY WAS NO TFC ALERT TRIGGERED BY CONVERGING ACFT, BOTH WITH MODE C LESS THAN 1000' APART? BY THE WAY, THE SMA WAS PERFECTLY LEGAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

Large transport crew had traffic called as they were cleared for descent. Looking for traffic into sun, missed by 400'.