Near midair collision.

Attributes
ACN	275398
Time
Date	199406
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sbj
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny tracon : abe tracon : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 42
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : abe
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 4600 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	275398
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I was second in command of flight operating from cmh to jfk in ny. As is normal ATC procedure, we were descended from FL210 to cross allentown VOR (125 mi from our destination) at 5000 ft MSL. We were then cleared to fly direct sbj VOR and given a further descent to 4000 ft. As the PNF, my scan detected a glider near sbj at 12 O'clock and less than 1 mi from our aircraft. The glider was in a r-hand spiral turn. I immediately called traffic to the captain who turned left to avoid the glider. At the same time, the glider stopped his right turn and turned left to avoid the collision. I estimated the point of closest separation as 400 to 500 ft horizontally, with both aircraft at the same altitude. This near midair collision is the direct result of ATC procedures which require air carrier turboprops operating at 200-250 KTS to descend to low altitudes of 3000 ft to 6000 ft at long distances from their destination, thus creating the potential for collisions with other traffic operating at speeds of 100-150 KTS less than our acrs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: I WAS SECOND IN COMMAND OF FLT OPERATING FROM CMH TO JFK IN NY. AS IS NORMAL ATC PROC, WE WERE DSNDED FROM FL210 TO CROSS ALLENTOWN VOR (125 MI FROM OUR DEST) AT 5000 FT MSL. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO FLY DIRECT SBJ VOR AND GIVEN A FURTHER DSCNT TO 4000 FT. AS THE PNF, MY SCAN DETECTED A GLIDER NEAR SBJ AT 12 O'CLOCK AND LESS THAN 1 MI FROM OUR ACFT. THE GLIDER WAS IN A R-HAND SPIRAL TURN. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED TFC TO THE CAPT WHO TURNED L TO AVOID THE GLIDER. AT THE SAME TIME, THE GLIDER STOPPED HIS R TURN AND TURNED L TO AVOID THE COLLISION. I ESTIMATED THE POINT OF CLOSEST SEPARATION AS 400 TO 500 FT HORIZLY, WITH BOTH ACFT AT THE SAME ALT. THIS NMAC IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF ATC PROCS WHICH REQUIRE ACR TURBOPROPS OPERATING AT 200-250 KTS TO DSND TO LOW ALTS OF 3000 FT TO 6000 FT AT LONG DISTANCES FROM THEIR DEST, THUS CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR COLLISIONS WITH OTHER TFC OPERATING AT SPDS OF 100-150 KTS LESS THAN OUR ACRS.

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.