Flight crew of large transport on approach to lga came in conflict with light transport VFR 15 north of lga at 5500. Traffic had been advised by N90 controller.

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Attributes
ACN	186379
Time
Date	199108
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 6300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	186379
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On a scheduled flight from to lga, we were being controled by lga approach. We were given a heading and a descent to 4000 ft by lga approach. During the descent we given a traffic advisory of an light transport about 2-3 O'clock at 5500 ft and that he would pass behind us. We acknowledged and reported that we did not see the light transport as we were descending through 6300 ft we suddenly saw the light transport at 2 O'clock. It was not a near miss and was over in 1 second. I called lga approach when we landed and was told that the light transport was on his own VFR at 5500. We were at 6300 when we passed. Since the other aircraft was VFR the controller said we only needed 500 ft vertical separation. In my opinion it may have been legal but it was still too close for comfort. It was not a near miss and no evasive action was taken or needed. If our descent rate had been greater, the heading the controller gave us could have brought us a lot closer. I also think VFR traffic in one of the world's busiest TCA's is not logical.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF LGT ON APCH TO LGA CAME IN CONFLICT WITH LTT VFR 15 N OF LGA AT 5500. TFC HAD BEEN ADVISED BY N90 CTLR.

Narrative: ON A SCHEDULED FLT FROM TO LGA, WE WERE BEING CTLED BY LGA APCH. WE WERE GIVEN A HDG AND A DSCNT TO 4000 FT BY LGA APCH. DURING THE DSCNT WE GIVEN A TFC ADVISORY OF AN LTT ABOUT 2-3 O'CLOCK AT 5500 FT AND THAT HE WOULD PASS BEHIND US. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND RPTED THAT WE DID NOT SEE THE LTT AS WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 6300 FT WE SUDDENLY SAW THE LTT AT 2 O'CLOCK. IT WAS NOT A NEAR MISS AND WAS OVER IN 1 SECOND. I CALLED LGA APCH WHEN WE LANDED AND WAS TOLD THAT THE LTT WAS ON HIS OWN VFR AT 5500. WE WERE AT 6300 WHEN WE PASSED. SINCE THE OTHER ACFT WAS VFR THE CTLR SAID WE ONLY NEEDED 500 FT VERT SEPARATION. IN MY OPINION IT MAY HAVE BEEN LEGAL BUT IT WAS STILL TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. IT WAS NOT A NEAR MISS AND NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN OR NEEDED. IF OUR DSCNT RATE HAD BEEN GREATER, THE HDG THE CTLR GAVE US COULD HAVE BROUGHT US A LOT CLOSER. I ALSO THINK VFR TFC IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S BUSIEST TCA'S IS NOT LOGICAL.

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.