Air carrier inbound to sjc on vector sbound assigned 4500 ft conflicted with VFR nwbound at VFR alti...

Attributes
ACN	439667
Time
Date	199906
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sjc.vor
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 10600 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	439667
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 4000 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

On extended downwind vectors to airport. Given 210 KTS and descent to 4500 ft MSL. Noted TCASII target at 12 O'clock position, co-altitude. Pointed it out to captain (PF). Then approach gave 90 degree turn (heading 360 degrees) and at the same time got TCASII RA. Turned and followed RA, saw other aircraft head-on (single engine cessna) when he turned away the other direction. When I told approach about it, a different voice came on and said 'I was just talking to him about that.' I think they were aware of the potential midair they set up. I believe the cessna was doing everything correctly, 4500 ft VFR altitude (approximately 300 degree heading) and above class C airspace. We were at a wrong way VFR altitude outside positive controled airspace. Bad procedure. Will not accept 4500 ft again. Later that night, another crew told us they also had been descended to 4500 ft. This is a bad practice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR INBOUND TO SJC ON VECTOR SBOUND ASSIGNED 4500 FT CONFLICTED WITH VFR NWBOUND AT VFR ALT OF 4500 FT.

Narrative: ON EXTENDED DOWNWIND VECTORS TO ARPT. GIVEN 210 KTS AND DSCNT TO 4500 FT MSL. NOTED TCASII TARGET AT 12 O'CLOCK POS, CO-ALT. POINTED IT OUT TO CAPT (PF). THEN APCH GAVE 90 DEG TURN (HDG 360 DEGS) AND AT THE SAME TIME GOT TCASII RA. TURNED AND FOLLOWED RA, SAW OTHER ACFT HEAD-ON (SINGLE ENG CESSNA) WHEN HE TURNED AWAY THE OTHER DIRECTION. WHEN I TOLD APCH ABOUT IT, A DIFFERENT VOICE CAME ON AND SAID 'I WAS JUST TALKING TO HIM ABOUT THAT.' I THINK THEY WERE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL MIDAIR THEY SET UP. I BELIEVE THE CESSNA WAS DOING EVERYTHING CORRECTLY, 4500 FT VFR ALT (APPROX 300 DEG HDG) AND ABOVE CLASS C AIRSPACE. WE WERE AT A WRONG WAY VFR ALT OUTSIDE POSITIVE CTLED AIRSPACE. BAD PROC. WILL NOT ACCEPT 4500 FT AGAIN. LATER THAT NIGHT, ANOTHER CREW TOLD US THEY ALSO HAD BEEN DSNDED TO 4500 FT. THIS IS A BAD PRACTICE.

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.

Air carrier inbound to sjc on vector sbound assigned 4500 ft conflicted with VFR nwbound at VFR altitude of 4500 ft.