MD88 flight crew encounter a glider between 9000-10000 ft during descent into cos.

Attributes
ACN	446932
Time
Date	199908
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : brk.vortac
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cos.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	446932
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Airport Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure

Narrative:

We were flying from atl to cos. Just east of brk VOR, we were given a 275 degree heading and clearance down to 9000 ft MSL. We knew to look for gliders. The captain had flown into colorado springs enough times to be aware of meadow lake field (I think), and ATIS had an advisory for glider traffic. Passing 10000 ft MSL for 9000 ft MSL, we were approaching a yellow glider from his dead 6 O'clock position. We did not see him until he started a right turn. We checked about 20 degrees left and passed within 1000 ft horizontal and 200 ft vertical. The captain spoke with ATC on the ground. I think he could only reach a tower controller. The controller said that this type of occurrence is not unusual. He also said that most arrs are brought in over brk which is very close to the glider field. I do not think that it is safe to vector airliners over a glider field. That is a recipe for conflicts. A published arrival into colorado springs away from the brk VOR and meadow lake airport would do 2 things: 1) it would deconflict the glider and airliner traffic. 2) it would give the glider pilots an idea where the airliners are flying, so they could avoid the area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 FLC ENCOUNTER A GLIDER BTWN 9000-10000 FT DURING DSCNT INTO COS.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING FROM ATL TO COS. JUST E OF BRK VOR, WE WERE GIVEN A 275 DEG HDG AND CLRNC DOWN TO 9000 FT MSL. WE KNEW TO LOOK FOR GLIDERS. THE CAPT HAD FLOWN INTO COLORADO SPRINGS ENOUGH TIMES TO BE AWARE OF MEADOW LAKE FIELD (I THINK), AND ATIS HAD AN ADVISORY FOR GLIDER TFC. PASSING 10000 FT MSL FOR 9000 FT MSL, WE WERE APCHING A YELLOW GLIDER FROM HIS DEAD 6 O'CLOCK POS. WE DID NOT SEE HIM UNTIL HE STARTED A R TURN. WE CHKED ABOUT 20 DEGS L AND PASSED WITHIN 1000 FT HORIZ AND 200 FT VERT. THE CAPT SPOKE WITH ATC ON THE GND. I THINK HE COULD ONLY REACH A TWR CTLR. THE CTLR SAID THAT THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE IS NOT UNUSUAL. HE ALSO SAID THAT MOST ARRS ARE BROUGHT IN OVER BRK WHICH IS VERY CLOSE TO THE GLIDER FIELD. I DO NOT THINK THAT IT IS SAFE TO VECTOR AIRLINERS OVER A GLIDER FIELD. THAT IS A RECIPE FOR CONFLICTS. A PUBLISHED ARR INTO COLORADO SPRINGS AWAY FROM THE BRK VOR AND MEADOW LAKE ARPT WOULD DO 2 THINGS: 1) IT WOULD DECONFLICT THE GLIDER AND AIRLINER TFC. 2) IT WOULD GIVE THE GLIDER PLTS AN IDEA WHERE THE AIRLINERS ARE FLYING, SO THEY COULD AVOID THE AREA.

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.