Narrative:

With the first officer flying, we were cleared from our cruising altitude to 4000 ft. During the descent, we were told to turn to 270 degree for spacing into tvc. After clearing the area, we began the turn to the west. As we descended through 4300 ft and rolling out of the turn, I saw an small aircraft type float plane at approximately our altitude and crossing from left to right. I took small evasive action, however it probably wasn't required. I don't think the other aircraft saw us because he didn't seem to change course at all. After he passed I asked msp center if he had any targets in our area and he said he had some 'weak targets' at our 6 O'clock. Even though both of us were distracted by the near miss, we landed without incident. The tower was curious as to how we ended up to the southwest of the airport and when I told them that we were vectored to the west, they were satisfied. The tvc area is a highly congested area during the summer months and could benefit from a local approach control. In discussing the area with other pilots, they strongly agree that it is one of the more (saturated) uncontrolled areas we fly into. After the flight I talked to the flight attendant to see if any of the passenger made any comments and she said no one mentioned anything.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: WITH THE FO FLYING, WE WERE CLRED FROM OUR CRUISING ALT TO 4000 FT. DURING THE DSCNT, WE WERE TOLD TO TURN TO 270 DEG FOR SPACING INTO TVC. AFTER CLRING THE AREA, WE BEGAN THE TURN TO THE W. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 4300 FT AND ROLLING OUT OF THE TURN, I SAW AN SMA TYPE FLOAT PLANE AT APPROX OUR ALT AND XING FROM L TO R. I TOOK SMALL EVASIVE ACTION, HOWEVER IT PROBABLY WASN'T REQUIRED. I DON'T THINK THE OTHER ACFT SAW US BECAUSE HE DIDN'T SEEM TO CHANGE COURSE AT ALL. AFTER HE PASSED I ASKED MSP CENTER IF HE HAD ANY TARGETS IN OUR AREA AND HE SAID HE HAD SOME 'WEAK TARGETS' AT OUR 6 O'CLOCK. EVEN THOUGH BOTH OF US WERE DISTRACTED BY THE NEAR MISS, WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE TWR WAS CURIOUS AS TO HOW WE ENDED UP TO THE SW OF THE ARPT AND WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT WE WERE VECTORED TO THE W, THEY WERE SATISFIED. THE TVC AREA IS A HIGHLY CONGESTED AREA DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS AND COULD BENEFIT FROM A LCL APCH CTL. IN DISCUSSING THE AREA WITH OTHER PLTS, THEY STRONGLY AGREE THAT IT IS ONE OF THE MORE (SATURATED) UNCTLED AREAS WE FLY INTO. AFTER THE FLT I TALKED TO THE FLT ATTENDANT TO SEE IF ANY OF THE PAX MADE ANY COMMENTS AND SHE SAID NO ONE MENTIONED ANYTHING.

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.