Air carrier X TCASII TA RA from IFR small aircraft Y maintaining visual separation.

Attributes
ACN	243145
Time
Date	199305
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival star : star enroute airway : cvg
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	243145
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5999 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

Air carrier X at 9000 ft MSL on the milan 1 arrival to cvg. I was flying, and the captain was operating the radio with cvg approach control. We were in VMC above an overcast deck with bases at 3300 ft and tops around 4500 ft MSL. In-flight visibility was unrestricted above the stratus deck. As we approached the cvg VOR, I mentioned to the captain that we should be receiving a turn and descent to align ourselves for an approach to runway 36L, our expected runway. Approach control was fairly busy with other traffic, and the captain wanted to wait a bit longer before calling. At that moment, our TCASII went into TA mode with a target at our altitude, approximately 4 mi at 12 O'clock. We just started to scan for the traffic when the approach controller came on in an agitated voice issuing an 'immediate' right turn and climb instruction. As I began the turn and climb, the TCASII went into RA mode, directing a climb at 1800- 2000 FPM. Since I was already in the turning climb, I continued the turn and used TCASII climb directions to modify the climb rate. After I began the turn, the captain reported small aircraft Y in sight on his side of the aircraft. As we continued, the captain indicated our separation would be safe. The TCASII did not issue 'clear of conflict' until after we were passing 10000 ft MSL. As I reduced climb rate, approach control issued a new instruction to descend to 7000 ft. The captain said this looked safe, and TCASII showed no further conflict, so we followed this vector. The rest of the approach and landing were uneventful. Supplemental information from acn 242535: small aircraft Y was 3 mi south of cvg heading 360 degrees at 9000 ft. Pointed out to arrival/feeder sector. Air carrier X was left sebound at 9000 ft. Small aircraft Y was turned right to heading 090 degrees. Pilot reported traffic in sight. Pilot was told to maintain visual separation and climbed to 10000 ft. Air carrier X then began a TCASII procedure to climb. I reissued visual separation to small aircraft Y and descended the aircraft to 9000 ft. After ensured separation small aircraft Y was cleared on course and descended to 8000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII TA RA FROM IFR SMA Y MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION.

Narrative: ACR X AT 9000 FT MSL ON THE MILAN 1 ARR TO CVG. I WAS FLYING, AND THE CAPT WAS OPERATING THE RADIO WITH CVG APCH CTL. WE WERE IN VMC ABOVE AN OVCST DECK WITH BASES AT 3300 FT AND TOPS AROUND 4500 FT MSL. INFLT VISIBILITY WAS UNRESTRICTED ABOVE THE STRATUS DECK. AS WE APCHED THE CVG VOR, I MENTIONED TO THE CAPT THAT WE SHOULD BE RECEIVING A TURN AND DSCNT TO ALIGN OURSELVES FOR AN APCH TO RWY 36L, OUR EXPECTED RWY. APCH CTL WAS FAIRLY BUSY WITH OTHER TFC, AND THE CAPT WANTED TO WAIT A BIT LONGER BEFORE CALLING. AT THAT MOMENT, OUR TCASII WENT INTO TA MODE WITH A TARGET AT OUR ALT, APPROX 4 MI AT 12 O'CLOCK. WE JUST STARTED TO SCAN FOR THE TFC WHEN THE APCH CTLR CAME ON IN AN AGITATED VOICE ISSUING AN 'IMMEDIATE' R TURN AND CLB INSTRUCTION. AS I BEGAN THE TURN AND CLB, THE TCASII WENT INTO RA MODE, DIRECTING A CLB AT 1800- 2000 FPM. SINCE I WAS ALREADY IN THE TURNING CLB, I CONTINUED THE TURN AND USED TCASII CLB DIRECTIONS TO MODIFY THE CLB RATE. AFTER I BEGAN THE TURN, THE CAPT RPTED SMA Y IN SIGHT ON HIS SIDE OF THE ACFT. AS WE CONTINUED, THE CAPT INDICATED OUR SEPARATION WOULD BE SAFE. THE TCASII DID NOT ISSUE 'CLR OF CONFLICT' UNTIL AFTER WE WERE PASSING 10000 FT MSL. AS I REDUCED CLB RATE, APCH CTL ISSUED A NEW INSTRUCTION TO DSND TO 7000 FT. THE CAPT SAID THIS LOOKED SAFE, AND TCASII SHOWED NO FURTHER CONFLICT, SO WE FOLLOWED THIS VECTOR. THE REST OF THE APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 242535: SMA Y WAS 3 MI S OF CVG HDG 360 DEGS AT 9000 FT. POINTED OUT TO ARR/FEEDER SECTOR. ACR X WAS L SEBOUND AT 9000 FT. SMA Y WAS TURNED R TO HDG 090 DEGS. PLT RPTED TFC IN SIGHT. PLT WAS TOLD TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION AND CLBED TO 10000 FT. ACR X THEN BEGAN A TCASII PROC TO CLB. I REISSUED VISUAL SEPARATION TO SMA Y AND DSNDED THE ACFT TO 9000 FT. AFTER ENSURED SEPARATION SMA Y WAS CLRED ON COURSE AND DSNDED TO 8000 FT.

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.