EMB120 flight crew receives TCASII TA while being vectored to intercept localizer at pns.

Attributes
ACN	438171
Time
Date	199905
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pns.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain Thunderstorm Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : p31.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 17
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : p31.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Mentor (T-34)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 9300 flight time type : 5700
ASRS Report	438171
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

We were being vectored for the ILS runway 17 approach and had requested deviations for WX. Deviations were approved and we were told to advise when we could turn toward the localizer, and that the airport was to our south. After clearing WX to our left (south) we advised we were able to turn inbound. The controller assigned a heading of 080 degrees, vectors to the localizer. During the turn our TCASII gave an aural warning of 'traffic' we observed traffic displayed on TCASII 2 mi to our right and 200 ft below. We did not appear to be converging. Controller issued further turn to 030 degrees and asked us to tighten the turn. The controller advised of T34 traffic passing behind, and said he had needed a tighter turn. During this maneuver we were at the steepest bank allowed by our company standards for normal operations. We were not made aware of any abnormal situation that would require us to exceed this limitation in the interest of safety, until after the conflicting traffic was behind us. I believe that use of different frequencys (UHF/VHF) by the same controller contributed to this event. We were able to hear xmissions to the T34 but no replies, and the controller seemed rushed and distracted in his instructions to us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB120 FLC RECEIVES TCASII TA WHILE BEING VECTORED TO INTERCEPT LOC AT PNS.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR THE ILS RWY 17 APCH AND HAD REQUESTED DEVS FOR WX. DEVS WERE APPROVED AND WE WERE TOLD TO ADVISE WHEN WE COULD TURN TOWARD THE LOC, AND THAT THE ARPT WAS TO OUR S. AFTER CLRING WX TO OUR L (S) WE ADVISED WE WERE ABLE TO TURN INBOUND. THE CTLR ASSIGNED A HDG OF 080 DEGS, VECTORS TO THE LOC. DURING THE TURN OUR TCASII GAVE AN AURAL WARNING OF 'TFC' WE OBSERVED TFC DISPLAYED ON TCASII 2 MI TO OUR R AND 200 FT BELOW. WE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CONVERGING. CTLR ISSUED FURTHER TURN TO 030 DEGS AND ASKED US TO TIGHTEN THE TURN. THE CTLR ADVISED OF T34 TFC PASSING BEHIND, AND SAID HE HAD NEEDED A TIGHTER TURN. DURING THIS MANEUVER WE WERE AT THE STEEPEST BANK ALLOWED BY OUR COMPANY STANDARDS FOR NORMAL OPS. WE WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF ANY ABNORMAL SIT THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO EXCEED THIS LIMITATION IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, UNTIL AFTER THE CONFLICTING TFC WAS BEHIND US. I BELIEVE THAT USE OF DIFFERENT FREQS (UHF/VHF) BY THE SAME CTLR CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT. WE WERE ABLE TO HEAR XMISSIONS TO THE T34 BUT NO REPLIES, AND THE CTLR SEEMED RUSHED AND DISTRACTED IN HIS INSTRUCTIONS TO US.

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.