Potential conflict.

Attributes
ACN	143718
Time
Date	199004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwz airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6700 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors enroute airway : n90
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	143718
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	143557
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 4500 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On flight from dtw to ewr. On approach to ewr near broadway VOR had just leveled off at 7000' MSL, heading 150 degree, 210 KTS under radar vectors to final. Controller gave us traffic at 11 O'clock, 3 mi 6900' climbing. Immediately saw traffic coming at us. As I started a turn, controller gave us a left turn to the north. I also started a descent. What looked like a twin small aircraft, passed just above us at the 1 O'clock position. That aircraft had started a left turn also. There was no violent action taken and although we passed close to each other. I did not feel a collision was even close. We then turned back to 150 degree and 7000'. No further problems. The controller did an excellent job pointing out the traffic even though he was busy. We were outside the TCA and I guess both aircraft had mode C. It still brings one big question. Both aircraft seem to be legal, so why so close? If the general aviation must stay out of a TCA, why don't the air carriers have to stay in the TCA. We don't even have any means to tell if we are in or out of the TCA (no chart depiction). Both aircraft had landing lights on and strobes. Most of our medium large transport fleet does not have strobes and the windshields are usually scratched real bad. (This aircraft had good clear windows!)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM DTW TO EWR. ON APCH TO EWR NEAR BROADWAY VOR HAD JUST LEVELED OFF AT 7000' MSL, HDG 150 DEG, 210 KTS UNDER RADAR VECTORS TO FINAL. CTLR GAVE US TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK, 3 MI 6900' CLIMBING. IMMEDIATELY SAW TFC COMING AT US. AS I STARTED A TURN, CTLR GAVE US A LEFT TURN TO THE N. I ALSO STARTED A DSNT. WHAT LOOKED LIKE A TWIN SMA, PASSED JUST ABOVE US AT THE 1 O'CLOCK POSITION. THAT ACFT HAD STARTED A LEFT TURN ALSO. THERE WAS NO VIOLENT ACTION TAKEN AND ALTHOUGH WE PASSED CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. I DID NOT FEEL A COLLISION WAS EVEN CLOSE. WE THEN TURNED BACK TO 150 DEG AND 7000'. NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. THE CTLR DID AN EXCELLENT JOB POINTING OUT THE TFC EVEN THOUGH HE WAS BUSY. WE WERE OUTSIDE THE TCA AND I GUESS BOTH ACFT HAD MODE C. IT STILL BRINGS ONE BIG QUESTION. BOTH ACFT SEEM TO BE LEGAL, SO WHY SO CLOSE? IF THE GENERAL AVIATION MUST STAY OUT OF A TCA, WHY DON'T THE AIR CARRIERS HAVE TO STAY IN THE TCA. WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY MEANS TO TELL IF WE ARE IN OR OUT OF THE TCA (NO CHART DEPICTION). BOTH ACFT HAD LNDG LIGHTS ON AND STROBES. MOST OF OUR MLG FLEET DOES NOT HAVE STROBES AND THE WINDSHIELDS ARE USUALLY SCRATCHED REAL BAD. (THIS ACFT HAD GOOD CLEAR WINDOWS!)

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.