Flight crew of an medium large transport slowed up descent in response to a TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	313917
Time
Date	199508
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gso
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11500 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	313917
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During a normal descent into gso, it was obvious to us that the ZTL controller was overloaded and rapidly losing his grasp of the situation. We were given a descent to 11000 ft inbound to gso on the 285 degree radial. The airspeed was approximately 280-300 KIAS at 2000 FPM down. Between 13000 ft and 12000 ft, we received a TCASII TA followed by an RA to 'reduce descent and monitor vertical speed.' a visual was acquired immediately at 1 O'clock and 1 to 2 mi. We were on a collision bearing. Descent was reduced and the traffic passed clear of us and below us by approximately 500 ft. Traffic was a twin engined, low wing aircraft heading north. There was no indication that he saw us. This happened immediately before switching to gso approach control. There was no time to advise atlanta of the situation. Gso was advised. I feel that the center controller should have asked for backup help. There was no time to fit a word in edgewise. We were cleared to 11000 ft MSL and someone was already there.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG SLOWED UP DSCNT IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA.

Narrative: DURING A NORMAL DSCNT INTO GSO, IT WAS OBVIOUS TO US THAT THE ZTL CTLR WAS OVERLOADED AND RAPIDLY LOSING HIS GRASP OF THE SIT. WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO 11000 FT INBOUND TO GSO ON THE 285 DEG RADIAL. THE AIRSPD WAS APPROX 280-300 KIAS AT 2000 FPM DOWN. BTWN 13000 FT AND 12000 FT, WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA FOLLOWED BY AN RA TO 'REDUCE DSCNT AND MONITOR VERT SPD.' A VISUAL WAS ACQUIRED IMMEDIATELY AT 1 O'CLOCK AND 1 TO 2 MI. WE WERE ON A COLLISION BEARING. DSCNT WAS REDUCED AND THE TFC PASSED CLR OF US AND BELOW US BY APPROX 500 FT. TFC WAS A TWIN ENGINED, LOW WING ACFT HEADING N. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT HE SAW US. THIS HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SWITCHING TO GSO APCH CTL. THERE WAS NO TIME TO ADVISE ATLANTA OF THE SIT. GSO WAS ADVISED. I FEEL THAT THE CTR CTLR SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR BACKUP HELP. THERE WAS NO TIME TO FIT A WORD IN EDGEWISE. WE WERE CLRED TO 11000 FT MSL AND SOMEONE WAS ALREADY THERE.

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.