Near midair collision between spn Y and air carrier large transport X on approach to pbi.

Attributes
ACN	173373
Time
Date	199103
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pbi
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pbi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	173373
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

My aircraft was level at 3000' MSL as assigned by pbi approach control. Heading 360 degrees for vectors to a visibility approach to runway 9L at pbi. Approach control advised we would follow a cpr medium large transport to the runway. We looked for and found the above traffic. We were then cleared for a visibility approach. The first officer was at the controls and I was making radio calls. I caught sight of an aircraft Y at our 11-11:30 position at our altitude and on an east heading approximately 1 mi distant. I took control of the aircraft and initiated climb to avoid the traffic. We leveled at 3500' MSL and passed over what turned to to be a non transponder equipped glider Y. Pbi approach stated they did not see the spn Y until we had already passed. It is my understanding that there is a training area located just to the west of the airport at our approximately location. No non transponder equipped aircraft should be allowed to operate this closely to the airport. Move the practice area further west and below approach altitudes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BETWEEN SPN Y AND ACR LGT X ON APCH TO PBI.

Narrative: MY ACFT WAS LEVEL AT 3000' MSL AS ASSIGNED BY PBI APCH CTL. HDG 360 DEGS FOR VECTORS TO A VIS APCH TO RWY 9L AT PBI. APCH CTL ADVISED WE WOULD FOLLOW A CPR MLG TO THE RWY. WE LOOKED FOR AND FOUND THE ABOVE TFC. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR A VIS APCH. THE F/O WAS AT THE CTLS AND I WAS MAKING RADIO CALLS. I CAUGHT SIGHT OF AN ACFT Y AT OUR 11-11:30 POS AT OUR ALT AND ON AN E HDG APPROX 1 MI DISTANT. I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND INITIATED CLB TO AVOID THE TFC. WE LEVELED AT 3500' MSL AND PASSED OVER WHAT TURNED TO TO BE A NON XPONDER EQUIPPED GLIDER Y. PBI APCH STATED THEY DID NOT SEE THE SPN Y UNTIL WE HAD ALREADY PASSED. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS A TRNING AREA LOCATED JUST TO THE W OF THE ARPT AT OUR APPROX LOCATION. NO NON XPONDER EQUIPPED ACFT SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE THIS CLOSELY TO THE ARPT. MOVE THE PRACTICE AREA FURTHER W AND BELOW APCH ALTS.

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.