Air carrier X TCASII RA non adherence to ATC clearance had conflict with small aircraft Y. See and a...

Attributes
ACN	208703
Time
Date	199204
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nas
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nas
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	208703
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	208863
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X on a heading of 210 degrees assigned from approach for runway 9. Approach asked us to call the field. We saw the airport and informed approach, 'field in sight,' in which time, approach cleared us for the visual. We turned toward the airport and began our descent. About 5 mi out. We received a TCASII RA and followed it. A small small aircraft Y passed off our left and just below us. Approach then said they never cleared us for the visual, but after talking with her on the phone, she stated she 'thought' she cleared us to 'standby for the visual.' both crew members are certain the controller cleared us for the visual. After the TCASII warning, I visually picked up the traffic, and the conflict ended. The controller obviously made the mistake of clearing us for the visual. Visibility was marginal because of haze, therefore, difficult to see other aircraft. Also, no TA's were issued when we were cleared for visual. We deduced that the controller wanted us on the 210 degrees heading a while longer for spacing, but mistakenly cleared us for the visual approach when we called 'field in sight.' on or heading (210) when cleared for the visual, small aircraft Y was behind and left of us which made it more difficult to see.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII RA NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC HAD CONFLICT WITH SMA Y. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT.

Narrative: ACR X ON A HDG OF 210 DEGS ASSIGNED FROM APCH FOR RWY 9. APCH ASKED US TO CALL THE FIELD. WE SAW THE ARPT AND INFORMED APCH, 'FIELD IN SIGHT,' IN WHICH TIME, APCH CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL. WE TURNED TOWARD THE ARPT AND BEGAN OUR DSCNT. ABOUT 5 MI OUT. WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA AND FOLLOWED IT. A SMALL SMA Y PASSED OFF OUR L AND JUST BELOW US. APCH THEN SAID THEY NEVER CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL, BUT AFTER TALKING WITH HER ON THE PHONE, SHE STATED SHE 'THOUGHT' SHE CLRED US TO 'STANDBY FOR THE VISUAL.' BOTH CREW MEMBERS ARE CERTAIN THE CTLR CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL. AFTER THE TCASII WARNING, I VISUALLY PICKED UP THE TFC, AND THE CONFLICT ENDED. THE CTLR OBVIOUSLY MADE THE MISTAKE OF CLRING US FOR THE VISUAL. VISIBILITY WAS MARGINAL BECAUSE OF HAZE, THEREFORE, DIFFICULT TO SEE OTHER ACFT. ALSO, NO TA'S WERE ISSUED WHEN WE WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL. WE DEDUCED THAT THE CTLR WANTED US ON THE 210 DEGS HDG A WHILE LONGER FOR SPACING, BUT MISTAKENLY CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH WHEN WE CALLED 'FIELD IN SIGHT.' ON OR HDG (210) WHEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL, SMA Y WAS BEHIND AND L OF US WHICH MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE.

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.

Air carrier X TCASII RA non adherence to ATC clearance had conflict with small aircraft Y. See and avoid concept.