Widebody transport in potential conflict with small aircraft opposite direction traffic.

Attributes
ACN	246439
Time
Date	199307
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vtu airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	246439
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I, captain, was operating the radio, first officer was flying. Soon after being handed off from ZLA to lax approach, the controller cleared us to descend from 11000 ft to 10000 ft. At the same time, TCASII gave a TA (approximately 1 O'clock/3-4 mi) minus 300 ft. I told the first officer not to descend and advised approach of the traffic, while visually trying to acquire the traffic. Approach said he did not have traffic and, at that time, TCASII gave an RA to 'monitor vertical speed.' the lower half was all red. At that point, approach called and said he had pop-up traffic 1 O'clock, 1 mi, we had the traffic visually at that point. I answered and said we had the traffic and he just passed 400 below us. It was a white high fixed wing small aircraft. A new controller took over. The remainder of the approach was normal. Thank god for TCASII. I hate to think what would have happened if we had started that descent!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB IN POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH SMA OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC.

Narrative: I, CAPT, WAS OPERATING THE RADIO, FO WAS FLYING. SOON AFTER BEING HANDED OFF FROM ZLA TO LAX APCH, THE CTLR CLRED US TO DSND FROM 11000 FT TO 10000 FT. AT THE SAME TIME, TCASII GAVE A TA (APPROX 1 O'CLOCK/3-4 MI) MINUS 300 FT. I TOLD THE FO NOT TO DSND AND ADVISED APCH OF THE TFC, WHILE VISUALLY TRYING TO ACQUIRE THE TFC. APCH SAID HE DID NOT HAVE TFC AND, AT THAT TIME, TCASII GAVE AN RA TO 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' THE LOWER HALF WAS ALL RED. AT THAT POINT, APCH CALLED AND SAID HE HAD POP-UP TFC 1 O'CLOCK, 1 MI, WE HAD THE TFC VISUALLY AT THAT POINT. I ANSWERED AND SAID WE HAD THE TFC AND HE JUST PASSED 400 BELOW US. IT WAS A WHITE HIGH FIXED WING SMA. A NEW CTLR TOOK OVER. THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH WAS NORMAL. THANK GOD FOR TCASII. I HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF WE HAD STARTED THAT DSCNT!

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.