Narrative:

Air carrier X on radar vectors to a visibility approach to 29L, heading 120 degrees, descending from 7000 to 4000'. The controller told us to stop our descent at 6000', which we did. While level at 65000', the first officer alerted me to air carrier Y at 3 O'clock that seemed to be at our altitude and headed right for us. I saw the same traffic and agreed with his assessment that it 'looks bad.' I asked him to clarify it with ATC and was prepared to make evasive action if necessary. The next transmission from the controller was for us to descend 'immediately' to 5000', which we did. This action satisfied me that we would miss air carrier Y. It appeared to me that it was a heavy jet at 6000' and that it passed above and behind us while we were descending to 5000'. I am convinced that night VFR is marginal VFR. It is very difficult to see and be seen and to assess the correct position and altitude of other aircraft. All aircraft in terminal areas below 10000' should display ground flood lights and/or landing lights at night, especially in good WX. Ad additional factor in this incident is the runway construction project at msp, which will last through 9/90. Approach control is now juggling the arrs to runway 29L and right, so that only lights and narrow body aircraft use runway 29R regardless of their arrival gate. This introduces more complexity into the controller's vector patterns and elevates the potential for traffic conflicts. Perhaps additional controller staffing during this construction project would reduce controller workload and help to reduce the rise of a midair collision.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FRYOM ACR Y. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X ON RADAR VECTORS TO A VIS APCH TO 29L, HDG 120 DEGS, DSNDING FROM 7000 TO 4000'. THE CTLR TOLD US TO STOP OUR DSNT AT 6000', WHICH WE DID. WHILE LEVEL AT 65000', THE F/O ALERTED ME TO ACR Y AT 3 O'CLOCK THAT SEEMED TO BE AT OUR ALT AND HEADED RIGHT FOR US. I SAW THE SAME TFC AND AGREED WITH HIS ASSESSMENT THAT IT 'LOOKS BAD.' I ASKED HIM TO CLARIFY IT WITH ATC AND WAS PREPARED TO MAKE EVASIVE ACTION IF NECESSARY. THE NEXT XMISSION FROM THE CTLR WAS FOR US TO DSND 'IMMEDIATELY' TO 5000', WHICH WE DID. THIS ACTION SATISFIED ME THAT WE WOULD MISS ACR Y. IT APPEARED TO ME THAT IT WAS A HEAVY JET AT 6000' AND THAT IT PASSED ABOVE AND BEHIND US WHILE WE WERE DSNDING TO 5000'. I AM CONVINCED THAT NIGHT VFR IS MARGINAL VFR. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE AND BE SEEN AND TO ASSESS THE CORRECT POS AND ALT OF OTHER ACFT. ALL ACFT IN TERMINAL AREAS BELOW 10000' SHOULD DISPLAY GND FLOOD LIGHTS AND/OR LNDG LIGHTS AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY IN GOOD WX. AD ADDITIONAL FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT IS THE RWY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AT MSP, WHICH WILL LAST THROUGH 9/90. APCH CTL IS NOW JUGGLING THE ARRS TO RWY 29L AND R, SO THAT ONLY LIGHTS AND NARROW BODY ACFT USE RWY 29R REGARDLESS OF THEIR ARR GATE. THIS INTRODUCES MORE COMPLEXITY INTO THE CTLR'S VECTOR PATTERNS AND ELEVATES THE POTENTIAL FOR TFC CONFLICTS. PERHAPS ADDITIONAL CTLR STAFFING DURING THIS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WOULD REDUCE CTLR WORKLOAD AND HELP TO REDUCE THE RISE OF A MIDAIR COLLISION.

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.