Light transport on approach in MVFR WX encounters small aircraft skimming in and out of clouds. Near...

Attributes
ACN	217162
Time
Date	199207
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hfd
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hfd
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	217162
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Just after crossing the VOR (FAF) and beginning my final descent, the PNF pointed out a blue small aircraft skimming in and out of the clouds. He was about 50 ft above us and 300-500 ft to our right. I was so surprised and failed to read the tail number, even though he was close enough to do so. After landing I called the hfd tower on the telephone to see if they could have bdl approach control check the radar (or radar tapes). The inquiry revealed an intermittent 1200 code with no mode C in our vicinity at the time approach control turned us over to the tower. Approach control assumed the VFR target to be low and no factor. It was not low, and it was a factor and I'm writing this with the hope that you'll publish a reminder (plea) to pilots that even if the regulation requiring 500 ft separation below the clouds in controled airspace doesn't keep people from running in and out of the bases of the clouds near a VOR, on an airway or anywhere can, and may likely, result in a midair collision, especially in high density areas.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT ON APCH IN MVFR WX ENCOUNTERS SMA SKIMMING IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS. NMAC.

Narrative: JUST AFTER XING THE VOR (FAF) AND BEGINNING MY FINAL DSCNT, THE PNF POINTED OUT A BLUE SMA SKIMMING IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS. HE WAS ABOUT 50 FT ABOVE US AND 300-500 FT TO OUR R. I WAS SO SURPRISED AND FAILED TO READ THE TAIL NUMBER, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO DO SO. AFTER LNDG I CALLED THE HFD TWR ON THE TELEPHONE TO SEE IF THEY COULD HAVE BDL APCH CTL CHK THE RADAR (OR RADAR TAPES). THE INQUIRY REVEALED AN INTERMITTENT 1200 CODE WITH NO MODE C IN OUR VICINITY AT THE TIME APCH CTL TURNED US OVER TO THE TWR. APCH CTL ASSUMED THE VFR TARGET TO BE LOW AND NO FACTOR. IT WAS NOT LOW, AND IT WAS A FACTOR AND I'M WRITING THIS WITH THE HOPE THAT YOU'LL PUBLISH A REMINDER (PLEA) TO PLTS THAT EVEN IF THE REG REQUIRING 500 FT SEPARATION BELOW THE CLOUDS IN CTLED AIRSPACE DOESN'T KEEP PEOPLE FROM RUNNING IN AND OUT OF THE BASES OF THE CLOUDS NEAR A VOR, ON AN AIRWAY OR ANYWHERE CAN, AND MAY LIKELY, RESULT IN A MIDAIR COLLISION, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH DENSITY AREAS.

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.

Light transport on approach in MVFR WX encounters small aircraft skimming in and out of clouds. Near midair collision.