Near midair collision involving an mdt and an small aircraft at night.

Attributes
ACN	206739
Time
Date	199204
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : omn airport : dab
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute airway : dab
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	206739
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	206498
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 350
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During idle power descent into dab (non TCASII aircraft) dab approach reported 'traffic at 12 O'clock, 1 mi, altitude unknown.' we scanned the area and almost immediately picked up traffic. However, it was extremely difficult to determine the exact position of the aircraft as there was a tall tower on the ground with flashing strobes aligned so that the small plane came out of the lights, so to speak. Since there was only 5-6 seconds between the TA and the near miss, there was no time to request a turn away from the target. As we were in a descent when we visually acquired the small plane in the copilot's forward window I just pushed the aircraft nose over. We missed him by an estimated 200-500 ft. All passenger were in their seats with belts fastened. No one was injured and no damage done. ATC was not talking with the aircraft. ATC reported to us after the incident that he had just suddenly seen a primary target in our position. The aircraft apparently had no transponder, or was not using one. TCASII and encoding transponders/altimeters is the only way to prevent this type of situation. Supplemental information from acn 206498: after thanking approach for the 'heads-up' call, he explained that the VFR aircraft had checked on daytona approach (not our frequency) just prior to his calling him to us, and that had he not he may not have noticed his primary target.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC INVOLVING AN MDT AND AN SMA AT NIGHT.

Narrative: DURING IDLE PWR DSCNT INTO DAB (NON TCASII ACFT) DAB APCH RPTED 'TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, 1 MI, ALT UNKNOWN.' WE SCANNED THE AREA AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY PICKED UP TFC. HOWEVER, IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE EXACT POS OF THE ACFT AS THERE WAS A TALL TWR ON THE GND WITH FLASHING STROBES ALIGNED SO THAT THE SMALL PLANE CAME OUT OF THE LIGHTS, SO TO SPEAK. SINCE THERE WAS ONLY 5-6 SECONDS BTWN THE TA AND THE NEAR MISS, THERE WAS NO TIME TO REQUEST A TURN AWAY FROM THE TARGET. AS WE WERE IN A DSCNT WHEN WE VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE SMALL PLANE IN THE COPLT'S FORWARD WINDOW I JUST PUSHED THE ACFT NOSE OVER. WE MISSED HIM BY AN ESTIMATED 200-500 FT. ALL PAX WERE IN THEIR SEATS WITH BELTS FASTENED. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND NO DAMAGE DONE. ATC WAS NOT TALKING WITH THE ACFT. ATC RPTED TO US AFTER THE INCIDENT THAT HE HAD JUST SUDDENLY SEEN A PRIMARY TARGET IN OUR POS. THE ACFT APPARENTLY HAD NO TRANSPONDER, OR WAS NOT USING ONE. TCASII AND ENCODING TRANSPONDERS/ALTIMETERS IS THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF SITUATION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 206498: AFTER THANKING APCH FOR THE 'HEADS-UP' CALL, HE EXPLAINED THAT THE VFR ACFT HAD CHKED ON DAYTONA APCH (NOT OUR FREQ) JUST PRIOR TO HIS CALLING HIM TO US, AND THAT HAD HE NOT HE MAY NOT HAVE NOTICED HIS PRIMARY TARGET.

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.