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Near midair collision between an atx dehavilland twin otter, dhc-6, in level flight and transitioning from the special gcn airspace into the gcn class D airspace, and an atx gcn piper navajo flight which was passing the otter on the left side and turning in front of them. The otter flight crew were startled, and thought that this incident was contrary to local procedures.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 387377 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199712 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : gcn |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 7500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : gcn |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Twin Otter DHC-6 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 320 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 387377 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac non adherence : far non adherence other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 250 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
We were approaching the grand canyon airport from the blue 1 in a dhc-6. The captain was PF. We made our initial call to gcn tower at 20 mi out. We were instructed to report the 'key.' we completed the descent checklist and proceeded to the key. About 3 mi from the key, atx Y (piper navajo) reported to the tower that it would be passing us. Our TCASII showed the aircraft to be approximately 1/2 - 1 mi behind us. We continued towards the key on the same course at the same power setting and airspeed. We each took turns looking out our side windows for the traffic. Upon reaching the key, the navajo was not in sight on either side. I reported the key to tower and was instructed to 'report the tracks, left base runway 3.' I acknowledged. Atx Y then reported the key. The tower controller asked if they were abeam our aircraft. The atx Y pilot responded affirmative. The tower then asked us if we had the navajo in sight. By now we were 1/2 - 1 mi inside the key. Suddenly about 200-300 ft off our left wing, at our altitude, an atx Y navajo passed us with quite a bit of speed. The captain made a small right turn to provide additional clearance but the navajo was already past. I advised tower that we did have the navajo and that we had been passed at a dangerous distance. Atx Y then turned to the right and pulled right in front of us. Since the passing of aircraft can take place between 20 mi out and the key with only an advisory call to tower, a lot of jostling for position takes place. Passing inside the key requires tower permission according to our LOA. This leads to congestion and sometimes unsafe sits right at the key. I felt that passing on the left at very close proximity in airspace where permission was to be obtained by atx X made an unsafe situation for us and our 16 passenger.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: NMAC BTWN AN ATX DEHAVILLAND TWIN OTTER, DHC-6, IN LEVEL FLT AND TRANSITIONING FROM THE SPECIAL GCN AIRSPACE INTO THE GCN CLASS D AIRSPACE, AND AN ATX GCN PIPER NAVAJO FLT WHICH WAS PASSING THE OTTER ON THE L SIDE AND TURNING IN FRONT OF THEM. THE OTTER FLC WERE STARTLED, AND THOUGHT THAT THIS INCIDENT WAS CONTRARY TO LCL PROCS.
Narrative: WE WERE APCHING THE GRAND CANYON ARPT FROM THE BLUE 1 IN A DHC-6. THE CAPT WAS PF. WE MADE OUR INITIAL CALL TO GCN TWR AT 20 MI OUT. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO RPT THE 'KEY.' WE COMPLETED THE DSCNT CHKLIST AND PROCEEDED TO THE KEY. ABOUT 3 MI FROM THE KEY, ATX Y (PIPER NAVAJO) RPTED TO THE TWR THAT IT WOULD BE PASSING US. OUR TCASII SHOWED THE ACFT TO BE APPROX 1/2 - 1 MI BEHIND US. WE CONTINUED TOWARDS THE KEY ON THE SAME COURSE AT THE SAME PWR SETTING AND AIRSPD. WE EACH TOOK TURNS LOOKING OUT OUR SIDE WINDOWS FOR THE TFC. UPON REACHING THE KEY, THE NAVAJO WAS NOT IN SIGHT ON EITHER SIDE. I RPTED THE KEY TO TWR AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO 'RPT THE TRACKS, L BASE RWY 3.' I ACKNOWLEDGED. ATX Y THEN RPTED THE KEY. THE TWR CTLR ASKED IF THEY WERE ABEAM OUR ACFT. THE ATX Y PLT RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVE. THE TWR THEN ASKED US IF WE HAD THE NAVAJO IN SIGHT. BY NOW WE WERE 1/2 - 1 MI INSIDE THE KEY. SUDDENLY ABOUT 200-300 FT OFF OUR L WING, AT OUR ALT, AN ATX Y NAVAJO PASSED US WITH QUITE A BIT OF SPD. THE CAPT MADE A SMALL R TURN TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CLRNC BUT THE NAVAJO WAS ALREADY PAST. I ADVISED TWR THAT WE DID HAVE THE NAVAJO AND THAT WE HAD BEEN PASSED AT A DANGEROUS DISTANCE. ATX Y THEN TURNED TO THE R AND PULLED RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. SINCE THE PASSING OF ACFT CAN TAKE PLACE BTWN 20 MI OUT AND THE KEY WITH ONLY AN ADVISORY CALL TO TWR, A LOT OF JOSTLING FOR POS TAKES PLACE. PASSING INSIDE THE KEY REQUIRES TWR PERMISSION ACCORDING TO OUR LOA. THIS LEADS TO CONGESTION AND SOMETIMES UNSAFE SITS RIGHT AT THE KEY. I FELT THAT PASSING ON THE L AT VERY CLOSE PROX IN AIRSPACE WHERE PERMISSION WAS TO BE OBTAINED BY ATX X MADE AN UNSAFE SIT FOR US AND OUR 16 PAX.
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.