Narrative:

We had descended into the traffic pattern at pbi. Our first approach controller cleared us to descend to 4000 ft on a 180 degree heading. Shortly thereafter, we were handed off to the final approach controller. After our initial contact with the final approach controller, we were given and commenced a descent to 3000 ft. We also began a speed reduction from 250 KIAS to 210 KIAS to initiate flap extension. Before we reached 3000 ft, the final controller gave us a descent to 2000 ft and a turn to 095 degrees. He simultaneously gave us a TA, 'aircraft X check traffic, a saratoga (Y) at 11 O'clock position.' I don't remember the altitude of the traffic as we were in the midst of configuring the aircraft for the approach. Incidentally, there existed a broken cloud layer between 2500 ft and 4000 ft over the beach area partially obscuring pbi and the ground. Visibility beneath this cloud layer was 10+ mi. Our descent rate was shallow and I believe that we were descending through 3500 ft at this time. The first officer was flying and I was handling the radios. The so and our jump seat rider were looking outside and accomplishing other necessary tasks. As we commenced further confign from flaps 4 degrees to flaps 10 degrees, we noted several hollow white diamonds on the TCASII scope which was on the 5 mi range. I attributed this to our location over lantana airport and close proximity to west palm beach international airport. We saw no traffic. All of a sudden in our 11-12 O'clock position, one of the diamonds went from hollow to filled white, then to filled yellow. We then received 'traffic, traffic' advisory. When the yellow diamond became a red square, it was within the dotted circle (less than 2 mi away) and the RA commanded an immediate climb. We noted either a 02 or 05 beneath the red square. As the first officer initiated the evasive maneuver (climb), we received a 'reversal RA' which stated 'descend now.' both the first officer and I pushed forward on the yoke to initiate the descent. At this point, the jump seat rider and I picked up the traffic. It appeared as though it was coming out of the clouds at us in our 12 O'clock position. It was close, real close. The controller asked us if we were ready for a turn to final and I declined stating that we needed time to regroup after this incident. The controller gave us a 180 degree heading and 2000 ft. After 2-3 mins, we requested vectors for the approach. We landed, uneventfully, on runway 31 at pbi. After landing, I contacted the shift supervisor at palm beach approach control via land line. He informed me that he relieved the controller and was about to review the tapes. I told him that I did not want the controller put into jeopardy nor did I wish him admonished. However, I was interested in why a light private aircraft was permitted to fly VFR in and out of the clouds, at night, unlit within close proximity of two relatively busy airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR L1011 AND PIPER SARATOGA HAVE CLOSE ENCOUNTER CLOSE TO PBI.

Narrative: WE HAD DSNDED INTO THE TFC PATTERN AT PBI. OUR FIRST APCH CTLR CLRED US TO DSND TO 4000 FT ON A 180 DEG HDG. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO THE FINAL APCH CTLR. AFTER OUR INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE FINAL APCH CTLR, WE WERE GIVEN AND COMMENCED A DSCNT TO 3000 FT. WE ALSO BEGAN A SPD REDUCTION FROM 250 KIAS TO 210 KIAS TO INITIATE FLAP EXTENSION. BEFORE WE REACHED 3000 FT, THE FINAL CTLR GAVE US A DSCNT TO 2000 FT AND A TURN TO 095 DEGS. HE SIMULTANEOUSLY GAVE US A TA, 'ACFT X CHK TFC, A SARATOGA (Y) AT 11 O'CLOCK POS.' I DON'T REMEMBER THE ALT OF THE TFC AS WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF CONFIGURING THE ACFT FOR THE APCH. INCIDENTALLY, THERE EXISTED A BROKEN CLOUD LAYER BTWN 2500 FT AND 4000 FT OVER THE BEACH AREA PARTIALLY OBSCURING PBI AND THE GND. VISIBILITY BENEATH THIS CLOUD LAYER WAS 10+ MI. OUR DSCNT RATE WAS SHALLOW AND I BELIEVE THAT WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 3500 FT AT THIS TIME. THE FO WAS FLYING AND I WAS HANDLING THE RADIOS. THE SO AND OUR JUMP SEAT RIDER WERE LOOKING OUTSIDE AND ACCOMPLISHING OTHER NECESSARY TASKS. AS WE COMMENCED FURTHER CONFIGN FROM FLAPS 4 DEGS TO FLAPS 10 DEGS, WE NOTED SEVERAL HOLLOW WHITE DIAMONDS ON THE TCASII SCOPE WHICH WAS ON THE 5 MI RANGE. I ATTRIBUTED THIS TO OUR LOCATION OVER LANTANA ARPT AND CLOSE PROX TO WEST PALM BEACH INTL ARPT. WE SAW NO TFC. ALL OF A SUDDEN IN OUR 11-12 O'CLOCK POS, ONE OF THE DIAMONDS WENT FROM HOLLOW TO FILLED WHITE, THEN TO FILLED YELLOW. WE THEN RECEIVED 'TFC, TFC' ADVISORY. WHEN THE YELLOW DIAMOND BECAME A RED SQUARE, IT WAS WITHIN THE DOTTED CIRCLE (LESS THAN 2 MI AWAY) AND THE RA COMMANDED AN IMMEDIATE CLB. WE NOTED EITHER A 02 OR 05 BENEATH THE RED SQUARE. AS THE FO INITIATED THE EVASIVE MANEUVER (CLB), WE RECEIVED A 'REVERSAL RA' WHICH STATED 'DSND NOW.' BOTH THE FO AND I PUSHED FORWARD ON THE YOKE TO INITIATE THE DSCNT. AT THIS POINT, THE JUMP SEAT RIDER AND I PICKED UP THE TFC. IT APPEARED AS THOUGH IT WAS COMING OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT US IN OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS. IT WAS CLOSE, REAL CLOSE. THE CTLR ASKED US IF WE WERE READY FOR A TURN TO FINAL AND I DECLINED STATING THAT WE NEEDED TIME TO REGROUP AFTER THIS INCIDENT. THE CTLR GAVE US A 180 DEG HDG AND 2000 FT. AFTER 2-3 MINS, WE REQUESTED VECTORS FOR THE APCH. WE LANDED, UNEVENTFULLY, ON RWY 31 AT PBI. AFTER LNDG, I CONTACTED THE SHIFT SUPVR AT PALM BEACH APCH CTL VIA LAND LINE. HE INFORMED ME THAT HE RELIEVED THE CTLR AND WAS ABOUT TO REVIEW THE TAPES. I TOLD HIM THAT I DID NOT WANT THE CTLR PUT INTO JEOPARDY NOR DID I WISH HIM ADMONISHED. HOWEVER, I WAS INTERESTED IN WHY A LIGHT PVT ACFT WAS PERMITTED TO FLY VFR IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS, AT NIGHT, UNLIT WITHIN CLOSE PROX OF TWO RELATIVELY BUSY ARPTS.

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.