<< >> NASA ASRS Report 203887, March 1992

Close encounter between air carrier medium large transport X and unknown VFR traffic Y on night flight.

Attributes
ACN	203887
Time
Date	199203
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ign
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 13800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9200 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	203887
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 15000
ASRS Report	204690
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The first officer observed a light out to the right. I made eye contact with it and observed it to be approximately 2 O'clock and horizontal to us. It appeared to be moving forward and closer to us. The PF abruptly pulled up (disconnecting the autoplt) and climbed approximately 2000 ft. During the climb I watched aircraft Y pass directly under us. The controller then cleared us to descend to 10000 ft. We started descent and asked ATC if they had showed a conflict. ATC stated they did and that it was a VFR aircraft Y and that the controller was unable to tell us. We did not have TCASII installed. It was at night so we were able to see the aircraft's light. The VFR traffic appeared to be flying just above the cloud layer. Supplemental information from acn 204690: in the night conditions the smaller aircraft Y looked to be much farther away than it actually was. Supplemental information from acn 203147: near miss with unknown VFR aircraft Y vicinity ign VOR, approximately 13800 ft altitude. We climbed rapidly to avoid contact. ATC said equipment displayed conflict but was not relayed to our aircraft in timely manner. Hence, vigorous last min correction initiated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE ENCOUNTER BTWN ACR MLG X AND UNKNOWN VFR TFC Y ON NIGHT FLT.

Narrative: THE FO OBSERVED A LIGHT OUT TO THE R. I MADE EYE CONTACT WITH IT AND OBSERVED IT TO BE APPROX 2 O'CLOCK AND HORIZ TO US. IT APPEARED TO BE MOVING FORWARD AND CLOSER TO US. THE PF ABRUPTLY PULLED UP (DISCONNECTING THE AUTOPLT) AND CLBED APPROX 2000 FT. DURING THE CLB I WATCHED ACFT Y PASS DIRECTLY UNDER US. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO DSND TO 10000 FT. WE STARTED DSCNT AND ASKED ATC IF THEY HAD SHOWED A CONFLICT. ATC STATED THEY DID AND THAT IT WAS A VFR ACFT Y AND THAT THE CTLR WAS UNABLE TO TELL US. WE DID NOT HAVE TCASII INSTALLED. IT WAS AT NIGHT SO WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THE ACFT'S LIGHT. THE VFR TFC APPEARED TO BE FLYING JUST ABOVE THE CLOUD LAYER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 204690: IN THE NIGHT CONDITIONS THE SMALLER ACFT Y LOOKED TO BE MUCH FARTHER AWAY THAN IT ACTUALLY WAS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 203147: NEAR MISS WITH UNKNOWN VFR ACFT Y VICINITY IGN VOR, APPROX 13800 FT ALT. WE CLBED RAPIDLY TO AVOID CONTACT. ATC SAID EQUIP DISPLAYED CONFLICT BUT WAS NOT RELAYED TO OUR ACFT IN TIMELY MANNER. HENCE, VIGOROUS LAST MIN CORRECTION INITIATED.

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.