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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Flight crew of air carrier at assigned altitude of 4000' MSL observed an small aircraft tail dragger type aircraft at same altitude, head-on. Flight crew descended their aircraft and small aircraft passed over approximately 400'.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 165598 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199012 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : phl |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3600 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : phl tower : msn |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1800 |
| ASRS Report | 165598 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 400 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
About 35 mi northwest of phl at 4000' MSL we spotted what I believe was an small aircraft tail dragger at about the same altitude as we were. He was approaching head-on and taking no action to avoid us. We spotted him 3 mi away and we deviated from our assigned altitude of 4000'. The small aircraft passed overhead with no incident. We asked phl approach and he informed us that all he could see was a target at our 6 O'clock, moving nwbnd, and we confirmed that it was him. We also advised him of our descent and it was approved. The controller also informed us that he had advised allentown approach to try to track the aircraft. He also mentioned that the small aircraft was not equipped with a transponder. Suggestion: mandatory xponders for all types of aircraft operating within 50 NM of the TCA's. Also, better radar coverage around busy TCA's, like phl.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF ACR AT ASSIGNED ALT OF 4000' MSL OBSERVED AN SMA TAIL DRAGGER TYPE ACFT AT SAME ALT, HEAD-ON. FLT CREW DESCENDED THEIR ACFT AND SMA PASSED OVER APPROX 400'.
Narrative: ABOUT 35 MI NW OF PHL AT 4000' MSL WE SPOTTED WHAT I BELIEVE WAS AN SMA TAIL DRAGGER AT ABOUT THE SAME ALT AS WE WERE. HE WAS APCHING HEAD-ON AND TAKING NO ACTION TO AVOID US. WE SPOTTED HIM 3 MI AWAY AND WE DEVIATED FROM OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 4000'. THE SMA PASSED OVERHEAD WITH NO INCIDENT. WE ASKED PHL APCH AND HE INFORMED US THAT ALL HE COULD SEE WAS A TARGET AT OUR 6 O'CLOCK, MOVING NWBND, AND WE CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS HIM. WE ALSO ADVISED HIM OF OUR DSNT AND IT WAS APPROVED. THE CTLR ALSO INFORMED US THAT HE HAD ADVISED ALLENTOWN APCH TO TRY TO TRACK THE ACFT. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE SMA WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A XPONDER. SUGGESTION: MANDATORY XPONDERS FOR ALL TYPES OF ACFT OPERATING WITHIN 50 NM OF THE TCA'S. ALSO, BETTER RADAR COVERAGE AROUND BUSY TCA'S, LIKE PHL.
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.