Narrative:

While on a visual approach to koa approximately 12 NM northwest of the koa airport on the kona VORTAC 330 degree radial, we received a TCASII TA indicating traffic below us while descending through 4000 ft MSL. (We had previously slowed our descent and airspeed to accommodate a lagging cabin altitude.) there had been no prior display of a traffic symbol on the TCASII. In a matter of a few seconds the TCASII went from a TA with traffic 600 ft below us to a full RA with instructions to 'climb.' we arrested the descent and initiated a climb, however, TCASII separation had closed to within 200 ft before the vertical flight path of our aircraft could be reversed. At no time did we have visual contact with the conflicting aircraft. We climbed to approximately 4600 ft MSL to clear the RA. We had not been advised of any traffic in the area by the respective controllers, either prior to handoff by ZHN or after handoff to the koa tower. When questioned by us after landing, the koa tower controller stated that the traffic cessna had previously been instructed to remain on the shoreline and that she believed the traffic was in the vicinity of the kona village hotel, as instructed, during our visual approach. The koa tower controller also stated that she did not have the conflicting traffic in sight during the incident. In fact, the cessna was well out to sea at our position northwest of the koa airport placing it on the usual arrival path of the approaching air carrier traffic landing on runway 17. WX conditions were excellent with visibility at least 20 mi, only high cloud cover and no haze.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INBOUND DSNDING DC9 ON VISUAL APCH HAS NMAC WITH A CESSNA WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OVER THE SHORELINE. OVERWATER OP. NON RADAR APCH PROC.

Narrative: WHILE ON A VISUAL APCH TO KOA APPROX 12 NM NW OF THE KOA ARPT ON THE KONA VORTAC 330 DEG RADIAL, WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA INDICATING TFC BELOW US WHILE DSNDING THROUGH 4000 FT MSL. (WE HAD PREVIOUSLY SLOWED OUR DSCNT AND AIRSPD TO ACCOMMODATE A LAGGING CABIN ALT.) THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR DISPLAY OF A TFC SYMBOL ON THE TCASII. IN A MATTER OF A FEW SECONDS THE TCASII WENT FROM A TA WITH TFC 600 FT BELOW US TO A FULL RA WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO 'CLB.' WE ARRESTED THE DSCNT AND INITIATED A CLB, HOWEVER, TCASII SEPARATION HAD CLOSED TO WITHIN 200 FT BEFORE THE VERT FLT PATH OF OUR ACFT COULD BE REVERSED. AT NO TIME DID WE HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE CONFLICTING ACFT. WE CLBED TO APPROX 4600 FT MSL TO CLR THE RA. WE HAD NOT BEEN ADVISED OF ANY TFC IN THE AREA BY THE RESPECTIVE CTLRS, EITHER PRIOR TO HDOF BY ZHN OR AFTER HDOF TO THE KOA TWR. WHEN QUESTIONED BY US AFTER LNDG, THE KOA TWR CTLR STATED THAT THE TFC CESSNA HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN INSTRUCTED TO REMAIN ON THE SHORELINE AND THAT SHE BELIEVED THE TFC WAS IN THE VICINITY OF THE KONA VILLAGE HOTEL, AS INSTRUCTED, DURING OUR VISUAL APCH. THE KOA TWR CTLR ALSO STATED THAT SHE DID NOT HAVE THE CONFLICTING TFC IN SIGHT DURING THE INCIDENT. IN FACT, THE CESSNA WAS WELL OUT TO SEA AT OUR POS NW OF THE KOA ARPT PLACING IT ON THE USUAL ARR PATH OF THE APCHING ACR TFC LNDG ON RWY 17. WX CONDITIONS WERE EXCELLENT WITH VISIBILITY AT LEAST 20 MI, ONLY HIGH CLOUD COVER AND NO HAZE.

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.