Rapid descent on final caused by the flight crew becoming distracted by a TCASII TA.

Attributes
ACN	315945
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sju
State Reference	PR
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sju
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	315945
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Rapid descent sju. On final radar vectors for ILS runway 10, TCASII called traffic and showed 2 mi at minus 500 ft and closed to 200 ft. No resolution command, just traffic, traffic. While this was going on (captain flying) ATC asked multiple times to report the airport in sight. Each time we responded roger we are looking. I appreciate that calling the airport relieves the controller for other things, but pushing for an 'airport in sight' when the crew is busy doesn't help. To resolve the alert, the captain stopped the descent resulting in being high, requiring 'south' turns on final to get down. Probably a go around would have been smoother for the passenger because the initial high sink and 'south' turns, caused a flight attendant to comment to the captain. 'Next time, I go around.' landing was smooth, but sink with 'south' turns doesn't look good.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RAPID DSCNT ON FINAL CAUSED BY THE FLC BECOMING DISTRACTED BY A TCASII TA.

Narrative: RAPID DSCNT SJU. ON FINAL RADAR VECTORS FOR ILS RWY 10, TCASII CALLED TFC AND SHOWED 2 MI AT MINUS 500 FT AND CLOSED TO 200 FT. NO RESOLUTION COMMAND, JUST TFC, TFC. WHILE THIS WAS GOING ON (CAPT FLYING) ATC ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES TO RPT THE ARPT IN SIGHT. EACH TIME WE RESPONDED ROGER WE ARE LOOKING. I APPRECIATE THAT CALLING THE ARPT RELIEVES THE CTLR FOR OTHER THINGS, BUT PUSHING FOR AN 'ARPT IN SIGHT' WHEN THE CREW IS BUSY DOESN'T HELP. TO RESOLVE THE ALERT, THE CAPT STOPPED THE DSCNT RESULTING IN BEING HIGH, REQUIRING 'S' TURNS ON FINAL TO GET DOWN. PROBABLY A GAR WOULD HAVE BEEN SMOOTHER FOR THE PAX BECAUSE THE INITIAL HIGH SINK AND 'S' TURNS, CAUSED A FLT ATTENDANT TO COMMENT TO THE CAPT. 'NEXT TIME, I GAR.' LNDG WAS SMOOTH, BUT SINK WITH 'S' TURNS DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.

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.