Narrative:

Our aircraft on V-39 told to descend from 4000 ft to 3000 ft MSL. We broke out of the clouds at about 3800 ft MSL. Approach told us 'numerous VFR ahead.' no altitudes mentioned. As sparta airport is there, this is a common call. We immediately saw 2 aircraft below us. Then a third was seen, directly ahead at about 3000 ft MSL. We were down to about 3100 ft at this time, so I called to ATC that we were climbing back to 3500 ft MSL to avoid traffic. This call was made several times, with no response (I was aware of the possibility of other aircraft in the clouds at 4000 ft). The other aircraft, an small aircraft Y or possibly an small aircraft X was moving very slowly, with flaps extended, and climbing, so I was reluctant to turn behind the aircraft (instead of climbing) because it was obviously maneuvering, and I could see that I could outclb it, but did not want to try to out turn it. Just before we crossed over the top, I did divert to the right a bit. After we returned to 3000 ft, ATC finally acknowledged that we had had a problem. I told them I'd be filing a report, and it seemed to upset him, at first, but then I was given the telephone number. Why in god's name transport category aircraft are vectored around TCA, at 3000 ft, is beyond my capacity to understand. There will be a collision there unless measures are taken to change the altitudes.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON DSCNT HAS NMAC WITH SMA.

Narrative: OUR ACFT ON V-39 TOLD TO DSND FROM 4000 FT TO 3000 FT MSL. WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT ABOUT 3800 FT MSL. APCH TOLD US 'NUMEROUS VFR AHEAD.' NO ALTS MENTIONED. AS SPARTA ARPT IS THERE, THIS IS A COMMON CALL. WE IMMEDIATELY SAW 2 ACFT BELOW US. THEN A THIRD WAS SEEN, DIRECTLY AHEAD AT ABOUT 3000 FT MSL. WE WERE DOWN TO ABOUT 3100 FT AT THIS TIME, SO I CALLED TO ATC THAT WE WERE CLBING BACK TO 3500 FT MSL TO AVOID TFC. THIS CALL WAS MADE SEVERAL TIMES, WITH NO RESPONSE (I WAS AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF OTHER ACFT IN THE CLOUDS AT 4000 FT). THE OTHER ACFT, AN SMA Y OR POSSIBLY AN SMA X WAS MOVING VERY SLOWLY, WITH FLAPS EXTENDED, AND CLBING, SO I WAS RELUCTANT TO TURN BEHIND THE ACFT (INSTEAD OF CLBING) BECAUSE IT WAS OBVIOUSLY MANEUVERING, AND I COULD SEE THAT I COULD OUTCLB IT, BUT DID NOT WANT TO TRY TO OUT TURN IT. JUST BEFORE WE CROSSED OVER THE TOP, I DID DIVERT TO THE R A BIT. AFTER WE RETURNED TO 3000 FT, ATC FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE HAD HAD A PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM I'D BE FILING A RPT, AND IT SEEMED TO UPSET HIM, AT FIRST, BUT THEN I WAS GIVEN THE TELEPHONE NUMBER. WHY IN GOD'S NAME TRANSPORT CATEGORY ACFT ARE VECTORED AROUND TCA, AT 3000 FT, IS BEYOND MY CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND. THERE WILL BE A COLLISION THERE UNLESS MEASURES ARE TAKEN TO CHANGE THE ALTS.

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.