Narrative:

We were descending in accordance with our clearance from hnl approach from 8000 ft to 1500 ft on a heading of about 220 degrees (slats extended, spoilers, speed brakes extended, 2000-3000 FPM, speed 230 KIAS) when we received, in rapid succession (beginning to end approximately 15 seconds) the following RA's from our TCASII: 1) reduce descent, 2) climb, climb now, 3) clear of conflict. As I reacted by bringing the nose of the aircraft up, approach issued a turn left to 180 degrees coincidental with our TCASII voice report 'clear of conflict.' as I began the left turn, my first officer visually acquired a 737 (a departure from hnl) turning away to our right. Approach issued a right turn to 300 degrees whereupon we saw hnl airport and were eventually cleared to land on runway 4R. Before the above sequence of events, we were talking to a controller who cleared us from 10000 ft to 8000 ft and stated that we would get a lower altitude when clear of the island (oahu). About 30 seconds after crossing the shoreline, my first officer, at my direction, requested lower. Now a different controller responded with clearance to 1500 ft, no heading change included. Shortly, the above described RA's took place. I suspect this event may have occurred partly because of the controller change. I do know that we had no opportunity to pick up the aircraft visually that was converging with us from behind and below. A later conversation via telephone with ATC people in hnl revealed that they had no alarms going off and neither did the 737 crew according to ATC who said the 737 reported he had us visually 'all the time.' I did not report this as a near miss because when my first officer saw the 737, he was far enough away. Nevertheless I did have an RA on my TCASII and somewhere things broke down allowing us to get at least close enough for that.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB ON APCH HAS TCASII TA, RA THEN CLR.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR CLRNC FROM HNL APCH FROM 8000 FT TO 1500 FT ON A HDG OF ABOUT 220 DEGS (SLATS EXTENDED, SPOILERS, SPD BRAKES EXTENDED, 2000-3000 FPM, SPD 230 KIAS) WHEN WE RECEIVED, IN RAPID SUCCESSION (BEGINNING TO END APPROX 15 SECONDS) THE FOLLOWING RA'S FROM OUR TCASII: 1) REDUCE DSCNT, 2) CLB, CLB NOW, 3) CLR OF CONFLICT. AS I REACTED BY BRINGING THE NOSE OF THE ACFT UP, APCH ISSUED A TURN L TO 180 DEGS COINCIDENTAL WITH OUR TCASII VOICE RPT 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' AS I BEGAN THE L TURN, MY FO VISUALLY ACQUIRED A 737 (A DEP FROM HNL) TURNING AWAY TO OUR R. APCH ISSUED A R TURN TO 300 DEGS WHEREUPON WE SAW HNL ARPT AND WERE EVENTUALLY CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 4R. BEFORE THE ABOVE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS, WE WERE TALKING TO A CTLR WHO CLRED US FROM 10000 FT TO 8000 FT AND STATED THAT WE WOULD GET A LOWER ALT WHEN CLR OF THE ISLAND (OAHU). ABOUT 30 SECONDS AFTER XING THE SHORELINE, MY FO, AT MY DIRECTION, REQUESTED LOWER. NOW A DIFFERENT CTLR RESPONDED WITH CLRNC TO 1500 FT, NO HDG CHANGE INCLUDED. SHORTLY, THE ABOVE DESCRIBED RA'S TOOK PLACE. I SUSPECT THIS EVENT MAY HAVE OCCURRED PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE CTLR CHANGE. I DO KNOW THAT WE HAD NO OPPORTUNITY TO PICK UP THE ACFT VISUALLY THAT WAS CONVERGING WITH US FROM BEHIND AND BELOW. A LATER CONVERSATION VIA TELEPHONE WITH ATC PEOPLE IN HNL REVEALED THAT THEY HAD NO ALARMS GOING OFF AND NEITHER DID THE 737 CREW ACCORDING TO ATC WHO SAID THE 737 RPTED HE HAD US VISUALLY 'ALL THE TIME.' I DID NOT RPT THIS AS A NEAR MISS BECAUSE WHEN MY FO SAW THE 737, HE WAS FAR ENOUGH AWAY. NEVERTHELESS I DID HAVE AN RA ON MY TCASII AND SOMEWHERE THINGS BROKE DOWN ALLOWING US TO GET AT LEAST CLOSE ENOUGH FOR THAT.

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.