Narrative:

Level 5000 ft MSL prior to turning on final to runway 23L at cle, 20 DME out. Traffic suddenly popped onto TCASII screen 12 O'clock and 500 ft MSL below us and climbing. I got a TA on TCASII and looked on monitor to find out direction and distance. I noted traffic was 12 O'clock and 2 1/2 mi. I looked outside to get a visual and the TCASII gave an RA and a hard command to 'climb.' the first officer disconnected the autoplt (it was his leg to fly) and climbed up above 6000 ft MSL. We missed the traffic, a high wing cessna single engine, by approximately 200-250 ft MSL. Had we not received the RA we would have collided. We did not see traffic until it passed off to our right. I don't know if approach control ever saw the traffic, because it popped up on the scope all of a sudden. I reported the traffic to approach and advised him of our evasive action. He asked what altitude I was climbing to and I told him. That was all he asked. I reported that I had to take evasive action because we barely missed the traffic. He said, 'roger.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC IN MLG ACFT INBOUND TO CLE HAD AN NMAC WITH AN SEL CESSNA APPROX 20 NM FROM THE ARPT.

Narrative: LEVEL 5000 FT MSL PRIOR TO TURNING ON FINAL TO RWY 23L AT CLE, 20 DME OUT. TFC SUDDENLY POPPED ONTO TCASII SCREEN 12 O'CLOCK AND 500 FT MSL BELOW US AND CLBING. I GOT A TA ON TCASII AND LOOKED ON MONITOR TO FIND OUT DIRECTION AND DISTANCE. I NOTED TFC WAS 12 O'CLOCK AND 2 1/2 MI. I LOOKED OUTSIDE TO GET A VISUAL AND THE TCASII GAVE AN RA AND A HARD COMMAND TO 'CLB.' THE FO DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT (IT WAS HIS LEG TO FLY) AND CLBED UP ABOVE 6000 FT MSL. WE MISSED THE TFC, A HIGH WING CESSNA SINGLE ENG, BY APPROX 200-250 FT MSL. HAD WE NOT RECEIVED THE RA WE WOULD HAVE COLLIDED. WE DID NOT SEE TFC UNTIL IT PASSED OFF TO OUR R. I DON'T KNOW IF APCH CTL EVER SAW THE TFC, BECAUSE IT POPPED UP ON THE SCOPE ALL OF A SUDDEN. I RPTED THE TFC TO APCH AND ADVISED HIM OF OUR EVASIVE ACTION. HE ASKED WHAT ALT I WAS CLBING TO AND I TOLD HIM. THAT WAS ALL HE ASKED. I RPTED THAT I HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION BECAUSE WE BARELY MISSED THE TFC. HE SAID, 'ROGER.'

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.