Near midair collision during visual approach. Multiple runway operation parallel runways.

Attributes
ACN	237583
Time
Date	199303
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 5500
ASRS Report	237583
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	237557
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Phx was operating visual approachs to 26L and 26R. Apparently it is normal procedure at phx to sequence heavy and non heavy aircraft simultaneously to parallel runways. Captain was PF. Phx approach advised traffic, a widebody transport, while we were on base leg. We reported traffic and airport in sight. We were then cleared visual approach to runway 26R. At approximately 900 AGL captain looked inside to confirm gear and flaps. While looking down, TCASII issued RA with 'descend, descend.' captain looked at his vsi and saw target aircraft merged with his aircraft and minus 100 ft. Captain added maximum power and climbed at 20 degrees nose up. This action caused the RA to cease. We were then clear of traffic. During go around while responding to RA, the widebody transport looked extremely close. We were unsure whether the RA was for the widebody transport or another unseen aircraft. During the go around, the controller in the tower (who was also the tower supervisor) made several comments indicating he was not happy that we went around. Subsequent approach and landing were uneventful. In a telephone conversation between the captain and the controller/supervisor after the flight, the controller/supervisor refused to give his name. Nevertheless, he was apologetic and regretted his remarks during the go around. The controller also indicated that RA's are common in phx. I believe it. This visual procedure needs further consideration and evaluation. There is no room for error as presently practiced.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC DURING VISUAL APCH. MULTIPLE RWY OP PARALLEL RWYS.

Narrative: PHX WAS OPERATING VISUAL APCHS TO 26L AND 26R. APPARENTLY IT IS NORMAL PROC AT PHX TO SEQUENCE HVY AND NON HVY ACFT SIMULTANEOUSLY TO PARALLEL RWYS. CAPT WAS PF. PHX APCH ADVISED TFC, A WDB, WHILE WE WERE ON BASE LEG. WE RPTED TFC AND ARPT IN SIGHT. WE WERE THEN CLRED VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26R. AT APPROX 900 AGL CAPT LOOKED INSIDE TO CONFIRM GEAR AND FLAPS. WHILE LOOKING DOWN, TCASII ISSUED RA WITH 'DSND, DSND.' CAPT LOOKED AT HIS VSI AND SAW TARGET ACFT MERGED WITH HIS ACFT AND MINUS 100 FT. CAPT ADDED MAX PWR AND CLBED AT 20 DEGS NOSE UP. THIS ACTION CAUSED THE RA TO CEASE. WE WERE THEN CLR OF TFC. DURING GAR WHILE RESPONDING TO RA, THE WDB LOOKED EXTREMELY CLOSE. WE WERE UNSURE WHETHER THE RA WAS FOR THE WDB OR ANOTHER UNSEEN ACFT. DURING THE GAR, THE CTLR IN THE TWR (WHO WAS ALSO THE TWR SUPVR) MADE SEVERAL COMMENTS INDICATING HE WAS NOT HAPPY THAT WE WENT AROUND. SUBSEQUENT APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. IN A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION BTWN THE CAPT AND THE CTLR/SUPVR AFTER THE FLT, THE CTLR/SUPVR REFUSED TO GIVE HIS NAME. NEVERTHELESS, HE WAS APOLOGETIC AND REGRETTED HIS REMARKS DURING THE GAR. THE CTLR ALSO INDICATED THAT RA'S ARE COMMON IN PHX. I BELIEVE IT. THIS VISUAL PROC NEEDS FURTHER CONSIDERATION AND EVALUATION. THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ERROR AS PRESENTLY PRACTICED.

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.