Potential conflict between opposite direction traffic, one in descent.

Attributes
ACN	200416
Time
Date	199201
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdc
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14500 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	200416
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I was the PIC of flight from bwi to ewr while descending on the warrd 3 arrival our TCASII TA alerted us to traffic a 12 O'clock on a converging course. Descending through 15000 ft our TCASII first issued us a TA and then gave us an RA climb command which we initiated and at that time we saw the light transport air carrier take evasive action. We crossed at 14500 and he passed 1/4 mi off our right side. I would like to add that from the first TA on the TCASII we tried to contact the center 3 times to confirm our descent instructions but because of the extreme volume of aircraft on the frequency we were unable to confirm this until after the event. As it turned out the light transport air carrier flight was on a VFR flight plan at 14500 and ATC was aware of this fact. For whatever reason, this traffic was never called out to me. Thank god for TCASII RA!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT BTWN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC, ONE IN DSCNT.

Narrative: I WAS THE PIC OF FLT FROM BWI TO EWR WHILE DSNDING ON THE WARRD 3 ARR OUR TCASII TA ALERTED US TO TFC A 12 O'CLOCK ON A CONVERGING COURSE. DSNDING THROUGH 15000 FT OUR TCASII FIRST ISSUED US A TA AND THEN GAVE US AN RA CLB COMMAND WHICH WE INITIATED AND AT THAT TIME WE SAW THE LTT ACR TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. WE CROSSED AT 14500 AND HE PASSED 1/4 MI OFF OUR R SIDE. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT FROM THE FIRST TA ON THE TCASII WE TRIED TO CONTACT THE CTR 3 TIMES TO CONFIRM OUR DSCNT INSTRUCTIONS BUT BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME VOLUME OF ACFT ON THE FREQ WE WERE UNABLE TO CONFIRM THIS UNTIL AFTER THE EVENT. AS IT TURNED OUT THE LTT ACR FLT WAS ON A VFR FLT PLAN AT 14500 AND ATC WAS AWARE OF THIS FACT. FOR WHATEVER REASON, THIS TFC WAS NEVER CALLED OUT TO ME. THANK GOD FOR TCASII RA!

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.