Flight crew of an large transport took an evasive action turn for TCASII traffic. TA given. Traffic ...

Attributes
ACN	303792
Time
Date	199505
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mlb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cof
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 14400 flight time type : 7500
ASRS Report	303792
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On our descent into melbourne florida airport, we were handed off to a controller at patrick AFB. Our aircraft was at 2000 ft heading sbound when the controller informed us of cessna 150 traffic at 12 O'clock and a little but lower than we were. We stated that we were 'IMC,' did not have the cessna visually, but had him on our TCASII display. (He showed up initially at 400 ft below us and dead ahead). The controller then asked us if we had the field in sight. Again, we stated that we were 'IMC' and did not have the field in sight. The controller seemed confused that we couldn't see the field! We were closing in on the cessna rapidly, (TCASII display TA) and something positive had to be done in a hurry. I turned the aircraft 90 degrees to the right and had the first officer tell the controller that our new heading was 270 degrees. We then received vectors back to the localizer course and completed our landing. Factors that contributed to the situation: controllers quick to get the crews to call the field in sight for a visual approach. Weekend flyers in small planes around civilian airports. Large speed differences between jets and propellers. Approach controllers working more than 1 radio frequency. As a final note, our TCASII system was invaluable in this instance and kept this from turning into a bad situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT TOOK AN EVASIVE ACTION TURN FOR TCASII TFC. TA GIVEN. TFC NOT SIGHTED.

Narrative: ON OUR DSCNT INTO MELBOURNE FLORIDA ARPT, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO A CTLR AT PATRICK AFB. OUR ACFT WAS AT 2000 FT HDG SBOUND WHEN THE CTLR INFORMED US OF CESSNA 150 TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK AND A LITTLE BUT LOWER THAN WE WERE. WE STATED THAT WE WERE 'IMC,' DID NOT HAVE THE CESSNA VISUALLY, BUT HAD HIM ON OUR TCASII DISPLAY. (HE SHOWED UP INITIALLY AT 400 FT BELOW US AND DEAD AHEAD). THE CTLR THEN ASKED US IF WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. AGAIN, WE STATED THAT WE WERE 'IMC' AND DID NOT HAVE THE FIELD IN SIGHT. THE CTLR SEEMED CONFUSED THAT WE COULDN'T SEE THE FIELD! WE WERE CLOSING IN ON THE CESSNA RAPIDLY, (TCASII DISPLAY TA) AND SOMETHING POSITIVE HAD TO BE DONE IN A HURRY. I TURNED THE ACFT 90 DEGS TO THE R AND HAD THE FO TELL THE CTLR THAT OUR NEW HDG WAS 270 DEGS. WE THEN RECEIVED VECTORS BACK TO THE LOC COURSE AND COMPLETED OUR LNDG. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE SIT: CTLRS QUICK TO GET THE CREWS TO CALL THE FIELD IN SIGHT FOR A VISUAL APCH. WEEKEND FLYERS IN SMALL PLANES AROUND CIVILIAN ARPTS. LARGE SPD DIFFERENCES BTWN JETS AND PROPS. APCH CTLRS WORKING MORE THAN 1 RADIO FREQ. AS A FINAL NOTE, OUR TCASII SYS WAS INVALUABLE IN THIS INSTANCE AND KEPT THIS FROM TURNING INTO A BAD SIT.

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.

Flight crew of an large transport took an evasive action turn for TCASII traffic. TA given. Traffic not sighted.