Commuter on descent has near midair collision with second aircraft. TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	221998
Time
Date	199209
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : asg
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fyu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	221998
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac inflight encounter : vfr in imc other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on a 230 degree bearing to drake VOR at 17 DME descending out of 7000 to 3500, approaching fayetteville terminal area. Conditions were night, IFR, IMC, and just handed off from memphis center to fyv approach (tower). Fyv cleared us down to 3500, and when approaching 3800 we saw a target approaching us on TCASII and initiated an evasive climb maneuver. The target was also climbing at a good rate and we believe he came to within 100 ft below us, with no lateral separation as indicated on TCASII. Evasive maneuver was initiated at 900 ft vertical separation as indicated on TCASII. The target appeared to be VFR, high performance, and a departure from springdale, ak, again as indicated by the direction and perceived performance as indicated on TCASII. We leveled our climb maneuver at 4500 ft, and continued normally to fyv with no reported problems from ATC, passenger cabin, and cockpit. This was obviously a VFR pilot violating protected IFR airspace in IMC conditions, and we were still on an IFR flight plan in this airspace. This was very close, and is a potential problem in uncontrolled/non-radar airspace, close proximity airfields, and increasing far 135 and 121 traffic in the area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ON DSCNT HAS NMAC WITH SECOND ACFT. TCASII RA.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A 230 DEG BEARING TO DRAKE VOR AT 17 DME DSNDING OUT OF 7000 TO 3500, APCHING FAYETTEVILLE TERMINAL AREA. CONDITIONS WERE NIGHT, IFR, IMC, AND JUST HANDED OFF FROM MEMPHIS CTR TO FYV APCH (TWR). FYV CLRED US DOWN TO 3500, AND WHEN APCHING 3800 WE SAW A TARGET APCHING US ON TCASII AND INITIATED AN EVASIVE CLB MANEUVER. THE TARGET WAS ALSO CLBING AT A GOOD RATE AND WE BELIEVE HE CAME TO WITHIN 100 FT BELOW US, WITH NO LATERAL SEPARATION AS INDICATED ON TCASII. EVASIVE MANEUVER WAS INITIATED AT 900 FT VERT SEPARATION AS INDICATED ON TCASII. THE TARGET APPEARED TO BE VFR, HIGH PERFORMANCE, AND A DEP FROM SPRINGDALE, AK, AGAIN AS INDICATED BY THE DIRECTION AND PERCEIVED PERFORMANCE AS INDICATED ON TCASII. WE LEVELED OUR CLB MANEUVER AT 4500 FT, AND CONTINUED NORMALLY TO FYV WITH NO RPTED PROBLEMS FROM ATC, PAX CABIN, AND COCKPIT. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A VFR PLT VIOLATING PROTECTED IFR AIRSPACE IN IMC CONDITIONS, AND WE WERE STILL ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN THIS AIRSPACE. THIS WAS VERY CLOSE, AND IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM IN UNCTLED/NON-RADAR AIRSPACE, CLOSE PROX AIRFIELDS, AND INCREASING FAR 135 AND 121 TFC IN THE AREA.

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.