Air carrier had conflict with small aircraft while being vectored for an approach at bwi.

Attributes
ACN	166907
Time
Date	199101
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4800 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	166907
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At 5000' being vectored for visibility to runway 10 at bwi, advised of traffic at 10 O'clock at 4200'. Unable to spot traffic and asked again about his position. 11 O'clock climbing 4700' 1 1/2 mi. (Converging course) I asked for vectors away, at same time I spotted traffic coming towards us. ATC advised a left turn. I was already in a descending right turn and advised ATC of such. We missed by about 1/4 mi or so. Would've hit the small aircraft otherwise. Small aircraft was climbing through our altitude coming at us from 11 O'clock. ATC provided no indication of converging except to tell us he (other aircraft) was e-ne bound; then provided bad turn. Did not seem concerned. Small aircraft was within TCA limits. Controller workload appeared very light.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAD CONFLICT WITH SMA WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR AN APCH AT BWI.

Narrative: AT 5000' BEING VECTORED FOR VIS TO RWY 10 AT BWI, ADVISED OF TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK AT 4200'. UNABLE TO SPOT TFC AND ASKED AGAIN ABOUT HIS POS. 11 O'CLOCK CLBING 4700' 1 1/2 MI. (CONVERGING COURSE) I ASKED FOR VECTORS AWAY, AT SAME TIME I SPOTTED TFC COMING TOWARDS US. ATC ADVISED A L TURN. I WAS ALREADY IN A DSNDING R TURN AND ADVISED ATC OF SUCH. WE MISSED BY ABOUT 1/4 MI OR SO. WOULD'VE HIT THE SMA OTHERWISE. SMA WAS CLBING THROUGH OUR ALT COMING AT US FROM 11 O'CLOCK. ATC PROVIDED NO INDICATION OF CONVERGING EXCEPT TO TELL US HE (OTHER ACFT) WAS E-NE BOUND; THEN PROVIDED BAD TURN. DID NOT SEEM CONCERNED. SMA WAS WITHIN TCA LIMITS. CTLR WORKLOAD APPEARED VERY LIGHT.

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.