Near midair collision between an medium large transport on descent outside of an arsa and an small a...

Attributes
ACN	276131
Time
Date	199407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	276131
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were cleared to klide fix for sjc runway 30L approach and intercept localizer. A call was given that we had a target 12 O'clock, altitude unknown 'appears opposite direction.' I was busy with the approach navigation and did not hear the conversation with copilot and controller. We did not receive any update from controller after initial call. I looked up from navigating to see aircraft (single engine beech) going right to left at our altitude, 11 O'clock, 200 ft. I think the copilot should have been more diligent in following through with updates on contact bearing and distance. I should not have let myself be taken out of loop of conversation and the controller, although he supposedly followed his directives of turning it over to us once we were notified, could have done a better job of making sure we were aware or following the convergence track. The FAA might be better serving the public by requiring more aircraft to operate with xponders if there is a possibility of conflict with acrs. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he had talked with the TRACON after the near midair collision to learn why the controller did not follow-up on advising that the other traffic was still on a collision course. He also believes that every aircraft should be equipped with a transponder with an altitude readout. He was advised that since the altitude of the traffic was unknown, and that it had been pointed out to the flight crew, the controller could be busy with other duties and not be able to provide an update on the converging traffic. He believes that the controller's workload was very light that early evening and should have had plenty of time to give 'updates.' with that in mind, it was suggested that he visit the local TRACON for a firsthand look at the controller workload and duties, since all the flight crew hear is not all that the controller is actually doing at the moment. (He further stated that the aircraft was an MD88.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN AN MLG ON DSCNT OUTSIDE OF AN ARSA AND AN SMA ON A CONVERGING COURSE AT AN UNKNOWN ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO KLIDE FIX FOR SJC RWY 30L APCH AND INTERCEPT LOC. A CALL WAS GIVEN THAT WE HAD A TARGET 12 O'CLOCK, ALT UNKNOWN 'APPEARS OPPOSITE DIRECTION.' I WAS BUSY WITH THE APCH NAV AND DID NOT HEAR THE CONVERSATION WITH COPLT AND CTLR. WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY UPDATE FROM CTLR AFTER INITIAL CALL. I LOOKED UP FROM NAVING TO SEE ACFT (SINGLE ENG BEECH) GOING R TO L AT OUR ALT, 11 O'CLOCK, 200 FT. I THINK THE COPLT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DILIGENT IN FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH UPDATES ON CONTACT BEARING AND DISTANCE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE LET MYSELF BE TAKEN OUT OF LOOP OF CONVERSATION AND THE CTLR, ALTHOUGH HE SUPPOSEDLY FOLLOWED HIS DIRECTIVES OF TURNING IT OVER TO US ONCE WE WERE NOTIFIED, COULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB OF MAKING SURE WE WERE AWARE OR FOLLOWING THE CONVERGENCE TRACK. THE FAA MIGHT BE BETTER SERVING THE PUBLIC BY REQUIRING MORE ACFT TO OPERATE WITH XPONDERS IF THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF CONFLICT WITH ACRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAD TALKED WITH THE TRACON AFTER THE NMAC TO LEARN WHY THE CTLR DID NOT FOLLOW-UP ON ADVISING THAT THE OTHER TFC WAS STILL ON A COLLISION COURSE. HE ALSO BELIEVES THAT EVERY ACFT SHOULD BE EQUIPPED WITH A XPONDER WITH AN ALT READOUT. HE WAS ADVISED THAT SINCE THE ALT OF THE TFC WAS UNKNOWN, AND THAT IT HAD BEEN POINTED OUT TO THE FLC, THE CTLR COULD BE BUSY WITH OTHER DUTIES AND NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE CONVERGING TFC. HE BELIEVES THAT THE CTLR'S WORKLOAD WAS VERY LIGHT THAT EARLY EVENING AND SHOULD HAVE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO GIVE 'UPDATES.' WITH THAT IN MIND, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT HE VISIT THE LCL TRACON FOR A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT THE CTLR WORKLOAD AND DUTIES, SINCE ALL THE FLC HEAR IS NOT ALL THAT THE CTLR IS ACTUALLY DOING AT THE MOMENT. (HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS AN MD88.)

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.

Near midair collision between an medium large transport on descent outside of an arsa and an small aircraft on a converging course at an unknown altitude.