Near midair collision -- an air carrier on approach has an near midair collision with a glider.

Attributes
ACN	307966
Time
Date	199506
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5800 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 32
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	307966
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Established on localizer runway 19R for washington dulles international. We had just been cleared for a descent from 7000 ft to 5000 ft. Passing through 6000 ft, dulles approach advised us of glider activity in the frederick (md) area. At that exact moment both crew members noticed glider directly in front (of us) and turning left. PF initiated an immediate right climbing turn to avoid collision with the glider. PNF verified we were clear of glider, we scanned area, and proceeded back on course (we had not diverted fully off of localizer). Dulles approach was advised of the event, other aircraft were advised by approach control and we landed without further incident. This is not the first time that this has happened in this particular area. Possibly something could be done to prevent this type of event around heavy approach and departure corridors. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter said that he has seen the glider activity at this airport and in this area a number of times, but this was the first time that he has had an encounter with one. The flight crew was able to maintain visual contact with the glider while preforming the evasive action. They climbed from 5800 ft to 6500 ft and made a slight turn to the right. After clearing the glider they were able to resume the approach to runway 19R at iad.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC -- AN ACR ON APCH HAS AN NMAC WITH A GLIDER.

Narrative: ESTABLISHED ON LOC RWY 19R FOR WASHINGTON DULLES INTL. WE HAD JUST BEEN CLRED FOR A DSCNT FROM 7000 FT TO 5000 FT. PASSING THROUGH 6000 FT, DULLES APCH ADVISED US OF GLIDER ACTIVITY IN THE FREDERICK (MD) AREA. AT THAT EXACT MOMENT BOTH CREW MEMBERS NOTICED GLIDER DIRECTLY IN FRONT (OF US) AND TURNING L. PF INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE R CLBING TURN TO AVOID COLLISION WITH THE GLIDER. PNF VERIFIED WE WERE CLR OF GLIDER, WE SCANNED AREA, AND PROCEEDED BACK ON COURSE (WE HAD NOT DIVERTED FULLY OFF OF LOC). DULLES APCH WAS ADVISED OF THE EVENT, OTHER ACFT WERE ADVISED BY APCH CTL AND WE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA. POSSIBLY SOMETHING COULD BE DONE TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF EVENT AROUND HVY APCH AND DEP CORRIDORS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN THE GLIDER ACTIVITY AT THIS ARPT AND IN THIS AREA A NUMBER OF TIMES, BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HE HAS HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH ONE. THE FLC WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GLIDER WHILE PREFORMING THE EVASIVE ACTION. THEY CLBED FROM 5800 FT TO 6500 FT AND MADE A SLIGHT TURN TO THE R. AFTER CLRING THE GLIDER THEY WERE ABLE TO RESUME THE APCH TO RWY 19R AT IAD.

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.