Narrative:

While under control of rno approach, being vectored for a localizer back course DME runway 34L to rno, at approximately 15 mi southeast of rno, and descending from 9600 ft to 9000 ft we got a TA and an RA from TCASII. We followed the RA, and at approximately 9400 ft MSL, saw a light aircraft in our window, approximately 100 ft! We evaded that traffic, which was not visible to rno approach. TCASII saved the day. Without it, we would have had a midair. It's really unfortunate that approach control does not have radar for its approach corridor. I was told by the supervisor that scud runners use the ATC blind spots for arrival and departure to nearby fields. This situation is an accident waiting to happen. P.south. That light aircraft was clueless. He never saw us, but he was squawking, otherwise our TCASII may not have given us the life saving RA. Also, the other aircraft was not legal VFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 DSNDING ON VECTORS HAS AN NMAC AND GOT A TCASII RA ON AN SMA. RPTR CLAIMS THE SMA WAS NOT VISIBLE TO RNO APCH CTLR BUT THAT HE WAS SQUAWKING ELSE THE TCASII WOULD NOT HAVE ALARMED. ATC CLAIMS THERE ARE BLIND RADAR SPOTS IN THE ARR AREA. IF TCASII WAS FOLLOWED, HOW COME THERE WAS NO VERT SEPARATION?

Narrative: WHILE UNDER CTL OF RNO APCH, BEING VECTORED FOR A LOC BACK COURSE DME RWY 34L TO RNO, AT APPROX 15 MI SE OF RNO, AND DSNDING FROM 9600 FT TO 9000 FT WE GOT A TA AND AN RA FROM TCASII. WE FOLLOWED THE RA, AND AT APPROX 9400 FT MSL, SAW A LIGHT ACFT IN OUR WINDOW, APPROX 100 FT! WE EVADED THAT TFC, WHICH WAS NOT VISIBLE TO RNO APCH. TCASII SAVED THE DAY. WITHOUT IT, WE WOULD HAVE HAD A MIDAIR. IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE THAT APCH CTL DOES NOT HAVE RADAR FOR ITS APCH CORRIDOR. I WAS TOLD BY THE SUPVR THAT SCUD RUNNERS USE THE ATC BLIND SPOTS FOR ARR AND DEP TO NEARBY FIELDS. THIS SIT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. P.S. THAT LIGHT ACFT WAS CLUELESS. HE NEVER SAW US, BUT HE WAS SQUAWKING, OTHERWISE OUR TCASII MAY NOT HAVE GIVEN US THE LIFE SAVING RA. ALSO, THE OTHER ACFT WAS NOT LEGAL VFR.

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.