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Operational error less than standard separation between an air carrier B737 and westwind when the air carrier descended from and conflicted with the westwind.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 382797 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199710 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phl |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5700 msl bound upper : 5700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : phl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| 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 | |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Israel Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 8000 |
| ASRS Report | 382797 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 382803 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 800 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
We were being vectored to a downwind for runway 27R at phl. Airspeed was 210 KTS, 6000 ft. Traffic seemed about normal, not too much for phl. We were cleared to leave 6000 ft and descend to 3000 ft. I responded and we began our descent on autoplt. There were a few targets on TCASII but none were of concern to the TCASII. At 5700 ft we received an RA to climb. Captain responded by disconnecting autoplt and climbing. As this was happening, ATC told us to climb to 6000 ft. We saw westwind on TCASII only, never visually. Captain talked to approach on phone and controller admitted it was a bad clearance on their part. Captain said from what we could see on TCASII it looked very close had we continued descent. Controller said they were pretty sure it would have been a hit. I have had to respond to several RA's over the past few yrs, this is the first one that was a life saver. The controller said he did make the bad call, but in his own defense he said he then told us to climb. What if we had missed the call or there had been a stuck microphone on the frequency? TCASII is worth its weight in gold.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: OPERROR LTSS BTWN AN ACR B737 AND WESTWIND WHEN THE ACR DSNDED FROM AND CONFLICTED WITH THE WESTWIND.
Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED TO A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 27R AT PHL. AIRSPD WAS 210 KTS, 6000 FT. TFC SEEMED ABOUT NORMAL, NOT TOO MUCH FOR PHL. WE WERE CLRED TO LEAVE 6000 FT AND DSND TO 3000 FT. I RESPONDED AND WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT ON AUTOPLT. THERE WERE A FEW TARGETS ON TCASII BUT NONE WERE OF CONCERN TO THE TCASII. AT 5700 FT WE RECEIVED AN RA TO CLB. CAPT RESPONDED BY DISCONNECTING AUTOPLT AND CLBING. AS THIS WAS HAPPENING, ATC TOLD US TO CLB TO 6000 FT. WE SAW WESTWIND ON TCASII ONLY, NEVER VISUALLY. CAPT TALKED TO APCH ON PHONE AND CTLR ADMITTED IT WAS A BAD CLRNC ON THEIR PART. CAPT SAID FROM WHAT WE COULD SEE ON TCASII IT LOOKED VERY CLOSE HAD WE CONTINUED DSCNT. CTLR SAID THEY WERE PRETTY SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A HIT. I HAVE HAD TO RESPOND TO SEVERAL RA'S OVER THE PAST FEW YRS, THIS IS THE FIRST ONE THAT WAS A LIFE SAVER. THE CTLR SAID HE DID MAKE THE BAD CALL, BUT IN HIS OWN DEFENSE HE SAID HE THEN TOLD US TO CLB. WHAT IF WE HAD MISSED THE CALL OR THERE HAD BEEN A STUCK MIKE ON THE FREQ? TCASII IS WORTH ITS WT IN GOLD.
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.