Close proximity commuter-light transport GA-vintage small aircraft southeast of esc.

Attributes
ACN	143278
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fsc airport : esc
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1850 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	143278
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were descending for landing at esc. We had been monitoring unicom and were cleared for a visibility approach approximately 10 mi from the airport. After stating our intentions on the unicom frequency I noticed an aircraft approaching head-on at our altitude. Before I could say anything, the captain (PF) noticed the aircraft and took evasive action (steep turn to the left). At this time we were descending through 2500' MSL. The other (small aircraft) took no evasive action--apparently he never saw us, although we had all of our lights on. We never received a traffic advisory on this aircraft. He was below radar coverage. Lower radar coverage would have helped in this situation since the small aircraft was at 2500' MSL (2000' AGL).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX COMMUTER-LTT GA-VINTAGE SMA SOUTHEAST OF ESC.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING FOR LNDG AT ESC. WE HAD BEEN MONITORING UNICOM AND WERE CLRED FOR A VIS APCH APPROX 10 MI FROM THE ARPT. AFTER STATING OUR INTENTIONS ON THE UNICOM FREQ I NOTICED AN ACFT APCHING HEAD-ON AT OUR ALT. BEFORE I COULD SAY ANYTHING, THE CAPT (PF) NOTICED THE ACFT AND TOOK EVASIVE ACTION (STEEP TURN TO THE LEFT). AT THIS TIME WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 2500' MSL. THE OTHER (SMA) TOOK NO EVASIVE ACTION--APPARENTLY HE NEVER SAW US, ALTHOUGH WE HAD ALL OF OUR LIGHTS ON. WE NEVER RECEIVED A TFC ADVISORY ON THIS ACFT. HE WAS BELOW RADAR COVERAGE. LOWER RADAR COVERAGE WOULD HAVE HELPED IN THIS SITUATION SINCE THE SMA WAS AT 2500' MSL (2000' AGL).

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.