Air carrier has close proximity with small aircraft on approach for parallel runway.

Attributes
ACN	193660
Time
Date	199111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dtw
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
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	193660
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On approach to 21L dtw metropolitan approximately 12 mi out approach control cleared us for visual approach (we had runway in sight and traffic ahead (approximately 4 mi) that we were following). We were told to switch to tower frequency. After switching, we asked for permission to land on 21C, tower then told us about traffic at our 3 O'clock (an small aircraft on final for 21C). Copilot flying said it looked like we were almost over him. He was able to keep traffic in sight and horizontal separation. However, as we descended toward GS, we got a TCASII RA. Since we had traffic in sight and it was assured he was on final for parallel runway, no evasive action was taken. We feel that approach control should have informed us about the traffic prior to switching us over to tower control.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS CLOSE PROX WITH SMA ON APCH FOR PARALLEL RWY.

Narrative: ON APCH TO 21L DTW METRO APPROX 12 MI OUT APCH CTL CLRED US FOR VISUAL APCH (WE HAD RWY IN SIGHT AND TFC AHEAD (APPROX 4 MI) THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING). WE WERE TOLD TO SWITCH TO TWR FREQ. AFTER SWITCHING, WE ASKED FOR PERMISSION TO LAND ON 21C, TWR THEN TOLD US ABOUT TFC AT OUR 3 O'CLOCK (AN SMA ON FINAL FOR 21C). COPLT FLYING SAID IT LOOKED LIKE WE WERE ALMOST OVER HIM. HE WAS ABLE TO KEEP TFC IN SIGHT AND HORIZ SEPARATION. HOWEVER, AS WE DSNDED TOWARD GS, WE GOT A TCASII RA. SINCE WE HAD TFC IN SIGHT AND IT WAS ASSURED HE WAS ON FINAL FOR PARALLEL RWY, NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. WE FEEL THAT APCH CTL SHOULD HAVE INFORMED US ABOUT THE TFC PRIOR TO SWITCHING US OVER TO TWR CTL.

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.