A cga jet on a visual approach to vny airport runway 16R received a TCASII RA on unknown traffic bel...

Attributes
ACN	412840
Time
Date	199809
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vny
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4560 msl bound upper : 4506
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bur
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	412840
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	413706
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Working with socal approach inbound to vny at XA30 in VMC. Controller advised to expect the ILS runway 16R, and put us on vectors. Approximately 15 mi out on a 120 degree heading, controller advised that he would vector aircraft through the localizer. The field was sighted visually and approach was notified in hope of a visual clearance. The controller replied that due to traffic we would have to fly the ILS. At this point, the aircraft was approximately 12 mi from touchdown at 7000 ft MSL (field elevation 799 ft). Flaps and gear were selected in anticipation of a steep approach. At approximately 10 mi from touchdown, ATC cleared us for the visual approach and asked if we would be able to make the runway from that altitude. After a brief discussion with the PNF, we advised that we could safely fly the visual. At approximately 7 mi from touchdown, ATC canceled landing clearance and issued an immediate left turn to 340 degrees and descent to 5000 ft MSL. PNF requested lower altitude and was told that 5000 ft was as low as he could issue. Once the runway was located again visually, ATC was notified and visual approach was reissued. Shortly after, while descending through approximately 4500 ft MSL about 6 mi from touchdown, the TCASII issued a TA. It showed an aircraft 700 ft below us climbing about 1 mi in front of us. I broke my descent and both myself and the PNF attempted to visually contact the target, unsuccessfully. After another 1/2 mi the TCASII issued an RA and a climb command. A climb was initiated and a lateral deviation was commenced to the east. PNF advised ATC, who replied, 'do what you have to do.' traffic was never sighted. TCASII showed us pass 1/4 mi laterally and 300 ft above target. Once clear of conflict, a non eventful landing was accomplished. ATC never called a traffic alert, and our only advisory came from the TCASII. Faulty TCASII? Possibly, but not probably. A saturated controller, who flew us through a localizer and set us up for a 'slam dunk' visual approach, seems more likely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CGA JET ON A VISUAL APCH TO VNY ARPT RWY 16R RECEIVED A TCASII RA ON UNKNOWN TFC BELOW AND INITIATED A CLB. TFC WAS NOT ISSUED BY THE CTLR.

Narrative: WORKING WITH SOCAL APCH INBOUND TO VNY AT XA30 IN VMC. CTLR ADVISED TO EXPECT THE ILS RWY 16R, AND PUT US ON VECTORS. APPROX 15 MI OUT ON A 120 DEG HDG, CTLR ADVISED THAT HE WOULD VECTOR ACFT THROUGH THE LOC. THE FIELD WAS SIGHTED VISUALLY AND APCH WAS NOTIFIED IN HOPE OF A VISUAL CLRNC. THE CTLR REPLIED THAT DUE TO TFC WE WOULD HAVE TO FLY THE ILS. AT THIS POINT, THE ACFT WAS APPROX 12 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN AT 7000 FT MSL (FIELD ELEVATION 799 FT). FLAPS AND GEAR WERE SELECTED IN ANTICIPATION OF A STEEP APCH. AT APPROX 10 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN, ATC CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH AND ASKED IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE THE RWY FROM THAT ALT. AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION WITH THE PNF, WE ADVISED THAT WE COULD SAFELY FLY THE VISUAL. AT APPROX 7 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN, ATC CANCELED LNDG CLRNC AND ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE L TURN TO 340 DEGS AND DSCNT TO 5000 FT MSL. PNF REQUESTED LOWER ALT AND WAS TOLD THAT 5000 FT WAS AS LOW AS HE COULD ISSUE. ONCE THE RWY WAS LOCATED AGAIN VISUALLY, ATC WAS NOTIFIED AND VISUAL APCH WAS REISSUED. SHORTLY AFTER, WHILE DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 4500 FT MSL ABOUT 6 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN, THE TCASII ISSUED A TA. IT SHOWED AN ACFT 700 FT BELOW US CLBING ABOUT 1 MI IN FRONT OF US. I BROKE MY DSCNT AND BOTH MYSELF AND THE PNF ATTEMPTED TO VISUALLY CONTACT THE TARGET, UNSUCCESSFULLY. AFTER ANOTHER 1/2 MI THE TCASII ISSUED AN RA AND A CLB COMMAND. A CLB WAS INITIATED AND A LATERAL DEV WAS COMMENCED TO THE E. PNF ADVISED ATC, WHO REPLIED, 'DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.' TFC WAS NEVER SIGHTED. TCASII SHOWED US PASS 1/4 MI LATERALLY AND 300 FT ABOVE TARGET. ONCE CLR OF CONFLICT, A NON EVENTFUL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED. ATC NEVER CALLED A TFC ALERT, AND OUR ONLY ADVISORY CAME FROM THE TCASII. FAULTY TCASII? POSSIBLY, BUT NOT PROBABLY. A SATURATED CTLR, WHO FLEW US THROUGH A LOC AND SET US UP FOR A 'SLAM DUNK' VISUAL APCH, SEEMS MORE LIKELY.

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.

A cga jet on a visual approach to vny airport runway 16R received a TCASII RA on unknown traffic below and initiated a climb. Traffic was not issued by the controller.