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An air carrier B737-500 flight crew reports taking evasive action after receiving a TCASII RA at 5000 ft, between the sxc and the sli vors. The other aircraft was a single engine, GA airplane that was not in contact with the approach controller. The B737 descended below the other aircraft as it passed 200 ft overhead, and one half mi away.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 336070 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199605 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sli airport : sna |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : sna |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-500 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 336070 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 336122 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 3000 vertical : 200 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
The following event took place on a flight from sjc to sna using a B737-500. As we approached the sxc VOR from the north on the tandy 2 arrival, we were cleared to descend from 14000 ft to 5000 ft by socal approach. As we approached the VOR, we were also given a left turn to a heading of 090 degrees, shortly followed by another vector to a 065 degree heading. The controller was busy and, as we later found out, he was working this sector by himself. At an altitude of 5000 ft and on a heading of 065 degrees at 250 KIAS, we were now about halfway between santa catalina island and the shoreline. Aircraft was on autoplt, and the captain and I were busy looking outside for traffic. Suddenly, we received a TCASII TA 'traffic, traffic,' shortly followed by another. The traffic was at 12 O'clock opposite direction, and descending from above our altitude. Neither one of us had him in sight. We then received a TCASII RA 'descend, descend now.' the captain took over control of the aircraft, disengaged the autoplt, and began a left, descending turn. The traffic passed off our right, approximately 200 ft higher, 1/2 mi away. We then received a 'monitor vertical speed' aural warning followed by 'clear of traffic.' we believe the other traffic, a small single engine GA aircraft, never saw us. Our lowest altitude was 4300 ft MSL. The socal approach supervisor later admitted that, following our deviation, 3 controllers were assigned to that sector. Although somewhat hazy, visibility at our altitude was at least 5 mi. Supplemental information from acn 336122: the GA aircraft was not talking to approach control. Being unable to get through to socal approach, we followed the TCASII instruction and made a descending left turn. During the deviation traffic was obtained visually and visual separation was maintained. The situation was discussed with the socal supervisor and I was told the aircraft was 'un-tagged' and not in class B airspace. I feel very strongly that the whole la area should be at least class C airspace. It is unsafe to have uncontrolled GA aircraft in such a highly congested airspace!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR B737-500 FLC RPTS TAKING EVASIVE ACTION AFTER RECEIVING A TCASII RA AT 5000 FT, BTWN THE SXC AND THE SLI VORS. THE OTHER ACFT WAS A SINGLE ENG, GA AIRPLANE THAT WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH THE APCH CTLR. THE B737 DSNDED BELOW THE OTHER ACFT AS IT PASSED 200 FT OVERHEAD, AND ONE HALF MI AWAY.
Narrative: THE FOLLOWING EVENT TOOK PLACE ON A FLT FROM SJC TO SNA USING A B737-500. AS WE APCHED THE SXC VOR FROM THE N ON THE TANDY 2 ARR, WE WERE CLRED TO DSND FROM 14000 FT TO 5000 FT BY SOCAL APCH. AS WE APCHED THE VOR, WE WERE ALSO GIVEN A L TURN TO A HDG OF 090 DEGS, SHORTLY FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER VECTOR TO A 065 DEG HDG. THE CTLR WAS BUSY AND, AS WE LATER FOUND OUT, HE WAS WORKING THIS SECTOR BY HIMSELF. AT AN ALT OF 5000 FT AND ON A HDG OF 065 DEGS AT 250 KIAS, WE WERE NOW ABOUT HALFWAY BTWN SANTA CATALINA ISLAND AND THE SHORELINE. ACFT WAS ON AUTOPLT, AND THE CAPT AND I WERE BUSY LOOKING OUTSIDE FOR TFC. SUDDENLY, WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA 'TFC, TFC,' SHORTLY FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER. THE TFC WAS AT 12 O'CLOCK OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND DSNDING FROM ABOVE OUR ALT. NEITHER ONE OF US HAD HIM IN SIGHT. WE THEN RECEIVED A TCASII RA 'DSND, DSND NOW.' THE CAPT TOOK OVER CTL OF THE ACFT, DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT, AND BEGAN A L, DSNDING TURN. THE TFC PASSED OFF OUR R, APPROX 200 FT HIGHER, 1/2 MI AWAY. WE THEN RECEIVED A 'MONITOR VERT SPD' AURAL WARNING FOLLOWED BY 'CLR OF TFC.' WE BELIEVE THE OTHER TFC, A SMALL SINGLE ENG GA ACFT, NEVER SAW US. OUR LOWEST ALT WAS 4300 FT MSL. THE SOCAL APCH SUPVR LATER ADMITTED THAT, FOLLOWING OUR DEV, 3 CTLRS WERE ASSIGNED TO THAT SECTOR. ALTHOUGH SOMEWHAT HAZY, VISIBILITY AT OUR ALT WAS AT LEAST 5 MI. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 336122: THE GA ACFT WAS NOT TALKING TO APCH CTL. BEING UNABLE TO GET THROUGH TO SOCAL APCH, WE FOLLOWED THE TCASII INSTRUCTION AND MADE A DSNDING L TURN. DURING THE DEV TFC WAS OBTAINED VISUALLY AND VISUAL SEPARATION WAS MAINTAINED. THE SIT WAS DISCUSSED WITH THE SOCAL SUPVR AND I WAS TOLD THE ACFT WAS 'UN-TAGGED' AND NOT IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT THE WHOLE LA AREA SHOULD BE AT LEAST CLASS C AIRSPACE. IT IS UNSAFE TO HAVE UNCTLED GA ACFT IN SUCH A HIGHLY CONGESTED AIRSPACE!
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.