Narrative:

After being handed off from ZDC to myr approach control we were given descent clearance from 11000 to 4000' and assigned a 270 degree heading. After established on this heading we were given a VFR traffic advisory of an small transport at our 1 O'clock position and 8 mi northbound at 7500'. I acknowledged and advised the controller to keep us advised of his position. The controller issued a traffic report to the small transport of an medium large transport eastbound descending to 4000'. This got my attention because we were the only air carrier on the frequency and we were wbound. At 8500' I again asked the controller the position of the small transport and received no response. At 7700' controller said, 'roger, understand you have the small transport,' and I again informed, 'negative, contact what is his position?', at which point he said 12 O'clock, 1/2 mi. We were in a 1500 FPM descent at which time I overrode the first officer on the controls, increasing our rate of descent. The small transport came out of our 11 O'clock position and went right over the top of us by approximately 500'. After calling the approach supervisor I found out that they had training in progress at the facility. It seemed to me that the controller had his picture backwards in his mind and lost control of the situation. Closer supervisor of trnees is a must to avert potential disasters.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DESCENDING TO LAND AT ARPT OF DESTINATION CAME IN CLOSE PROX TO AN ENROUTE SMT LEVEL AT 7500'.

Narrative: AFTER BEING HANDED OFF FROM ZDC TO MYR APCH CTL WE WERE GIVEN DSNT CLRNC FROM 11000 TO 4000' AND ASSIGNED A 270 DEG HDG. AFTER ESTABLISHED ON THIS HDG WE WERE GIVEN A VFR TFC ADVISORY OF AN SMT AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS AND 8 MI NBOUND AT 7500'. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND ADVISED THE CTLR TO KEEP US ADVISED OF HIS POS. THE CTLR ISSUED A TFC RPT TO THE SMT OF AN MLG EBND DSNDING TO 4000'. THIS GOT MY ATTN BECAUSE WE WERE THE ONLY ACR ON THE FREQ AND WE WERE WBOUND. AT 8500' I AGAIN ASKED THE CTLR THE POS OF THE SMT AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. AT 7700' CTLR SAID, 'ROGER, UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE THE SMT,' AND I AGAIN INFORMED, 'NEGATIVE, CONTACT WHAT IS HIS POS?', AT WHICH POINT HE SAID 12 O'CLOCK, 1/2 MI. WE WERE IN A 1500 FPM DSNT AT WHICH TIME I OVERRODE THE F/O ON THE CONTROLS, INCREASING OUR RATE OF DSNT. THE SMT CAME OUT OF OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS AND WENT RIGHT OVER THE TOP OF US BY APPROX 500'. AFTER CALLING THE APCH SUPVR I FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAD TRNING IN PROGRESS AT THE FAC. IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THE CTLR HAD HIS PICTURE BACKWARDS IN HIS MIND AND LOST CTL OF THE SITUATION. CLOSER SUPVR OF TRNEES IS A MUST TO AVERT POTENTIAL DISASTERS.

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.