Narrative:

While being radar vectored to localizer runway 3 at gsp, descending from 5000 ft MSL to our assigned altitude of 4000 ft MSL we received a TCASII TA for traffic at 6 mi at 11-11:30 O'clock position. The traffic indicated 3500 ft MSL and climbing. We established visual contact with a jetstar simultaneously with a TCASII RA 'climb.' the jetstar visually appeared to be on a collision course with us (no visible movement on the windscreen) so the RA climb was followed along with a slight right turn to avoid a collision. Our best estimate of vertical separation at the merge was approximately 500 ft with us having climbed to avoid the traffic. We reported the near miss with gsp approach and landed uneventfully. I can't pinpoint our location relative to gsp airport but the incident occurred between 3500-4500 ft MSL as we were entering the gsp airport class C airspace. The jetstar aircraft departed VFR from greenville downtown airport class D airspace which is within the gsp class C airspace. I 'think' we received a TA from gsp approach but if we did it was after the RA and during our evasive maneuvering. There was no effort made by gsp approach to provide for separation from the jetstar. Determining the exact cause of this situation is difficult for me since there are 2 airports in very close proximity, and different airspaces which overlap. However I believe there was a breakdown in communication between greenville downtown tower and gsp TRACON. Also some complacency may have been involved due to the day being a sunday with perfect WX. The one single most decisive thought resulting from this is the absolute effectiveness of the TCASII and it should be a no-go item for every part 121 carrier if it is inoperative. From my experience in military air to air combat and intercepts, I truly believe there would have been a collision without evasive maneuvering. Note: gsp TRACON area supervisor was not going to file a near-miss report until I insisted over the phone that he do so. Also we reported the near miss to the controller immediately after the incident on VHF frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 ACFT IN DSCNT IN CLASS C AIRSPACE HAD TCASII RA AND TOOK EVASIVE ACTION. ATC HAD MADE NO EFFORT TO PROVIDE FOR SEPARATION AND RPTR CAPT THINKS THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN INTERCOORD BTWN THE TWR AND TRACON.

Narrative: WHILE BEING RADAR VECTORED TO LOC RWY 3 AT GSP, DSNDING FROM 5000 FT MSL TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 4000 FT MSL WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA FOR TFC AT 6 MI AT 11-11:30 O'CLOCK POS. THE TFC INDICATED 3500 FT MSL AND CLBING. WE ESTABLISHED VISUAL CONTACT WITH A JETSTAR SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH A TCASII RA 'CLB.' THE JETSTAR VISUALLY APPEARED TO BE ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH US (NO VISIBLE MOVEMENT ON THE WINDSCREEN) SO THE RA CLB WAS FOLLOWED ALONG WITH A SLIGHT R TURN TO AVOID A COLLISION. OUR BEST ESTIMATE OF VERT SEPARATION AT THE MERGE WAS APPROX 500 FT WITH US HAVING CLBED TO AVOID THE TFC. WE RPTED THE NEAR MISS WITH GSP APCH AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. I CAN'T PINPOINT OUR LOCATION RELATIVE TO GSP ARPT BUT THE INCIDENT OCCURRED BTWN 3500-4500 FT MSL AS WE WERE ENTERING THE GSP ARPT CLASS C AIRSPACE. THE JETSTAR ACFT DEPARTED VFR FROM GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN ARPT CLASS D AIRSPACE WHICH IS WITHIN THE GSP CLASS C AIRSPACE. I 'THINK' WE RECEIVED A TA FROM GSP APCH BUT IF WE DID IT WAS AFTER THE RA AND DURING OUR EVASIVE MANEUVERING. THERE WAS NO EFFORT MADE BY GSP APCH TO PROVIDE FOR SEPARATION FROM THE JETSTAR. DETERMINING THE EXACT CAUSE OF THIS SIT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME SINCE THERE ARE 2 ARPTS IN VERY CLOSE PROX, AND DIFFERENT AIRSPACES WHICH OVERLAP. HOWEVER I BELIEVE THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN COM BTWN GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN TWR AND GSP TRACON. ALSO SOME COMPLACENCY MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED DUE TO THE DAY BEING A SUNDAY WITH PERFECT WX. THE ONE SINGLE MOST DECISIVE THOUGHT RESULTING FROM THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TCASII AND IT SHOULD BE A NO-GO ITEM FOR EVERY PART 121 CARRIER IF IT IS INOP. FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN MIL AIR TO AIR COMBAT AND INTERCEPTS, I TRULY BELIEVE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A COLLISION WITHOUT EVASIVE MANEUVERING. NOTE: GSP TRACON AREA SUPVR WAS NOT GOING TO FILE A NEAR-MISS RPT UNTIL I INSISTED OVER THE PHONE THAT HE DO SO. ALSO WE RPTED THE NEAR MISS TO THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INCIDENT ON VHF FREQ.

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.