A civilian ground observer report on a possible near midair collision between 2 airliners 3 mi from ...

Attributes
ACN	450810
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mroc.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : holding
Route In Use	arrival : holding pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : holding descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : holding pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : observer
ASRS Report	450810
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Weather
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I want to report an near midair collision which I witnessed at approximately PM30 on sep/xa/99 at juan santa maria airport, costa rica. 2 commercial airliners, probably air carrier X originating from florida and air carrier Y originating from texas, were involved. The 2 planes came out of the west on approach to juan santa maria airport. I estimate that the 2 planes were approximately 2-3 mi out and approximately 5000 ft AGL, with less than 1000 ft clearance between them. There was low visibility due to fog. Myself and other observers noted the extreme proximity of the 2 aircraft as they approached. The 2 planes banked to the left in unison, going north, and disappearing into the clouds. Many observers said that they felt that they had witnessed a near tragedy. The reason I am reporting this incident is to assure that your agency is made aware of the facts should this incident not be reported through official channels.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CIVILIAN GND OBSERVER RPT ON A POSSIBLE NMAC BTWN 2 AIRLINERS 3 MI FROM MROC ARPT.

Narrative: I WANT TO RPT AN NMAC WHICH I WITNESSED AT APPROX PM30 ON SEP/XA/99 AT JUAN SANTA MARIA ARPT, COSTA RICA. 2 COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS, PROBABLY ACR X ORIGINATING FROM FLORIDA AND ACR Y ORIGINATING FROM TEXAS, WERE INVOLVED. THE 2 PLANES CAME OUT OF THE W ON APCH TO JUAN SANTA MARIA ARPT. I ESTIMATE THAT THE 2 PLANES WERE APPROX 2-3 MI OUT AND APPROX 5000 FT AGL, WITH LESS THAN 1000 FT CLRNC BTWN THEM. THERE WAS LOW VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG. MYSELF AND OTHER OBSERVERS NOTED THE EXTREME PROX OF THE 2 ACFT AS THEY APCHED. THE 2 PLANES BANKED TO THE L IN UNISON, GOING N, AND DISAPPEARING INTO THE CLOUDS. MANY OBSERVERS SAID THAT THEY FELT THAT THEY HAD WITNESSED A NEAR TRAGEDY. THE REASON I AM RPTING THIS INCIDENT IS TO ASSURE THAT YOUR AGENCY IS MADE AWARE OF THE FACTS SHOULD THIS INCIDENT NOT BE RPTED THROUGH OFFICIAL CHANNELS.

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 civilian ground observer report on a possible near midair collision between 2 airliners 3 mi from mroc airport.