Narrative:

Approaching valdosta, we were cleared to descend to 3000 ft. Out of approximately 4500 ft, vld approach called VFR traffic, 10 mi, climbing. We could not identify the traffic visually, but began 'seeing' it on our TCASII. The image quickly entered our 5 mi ring on the TCASII, still climbing, less than 1000 ft below us. We reduced our rate of descent. Approach called the traffic at 12 - 1 O'clock, but we still had no visual contact. At 3800 ft, we leveled off and almost simultaneously received a TCASII 'traffic, traffic' alert. At this time approach reassigned 3500 ft for our leveloff. We informed approach that we were taking evasive action, climbed to 4000 ft and turned right 90 degrees to west. As we completed the turn we sighted our traffic passing opposite direction directly below us. I believe the incident could have been avoided if approach had vectored us away from the traffic or stopped our descent earlier. Also, communication between vld tower and approach could have led to coordination of our flight paths.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF EMBRAER, EMB120, STOPPED DSNDING AND MADE A CLBING TURN TO AVOID AN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT CLBING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: APCHING VALDOSTA, WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 3000 FT. OUT OF APPROX 4500 FT, VLD APCH CALLED VFR TFC, 10 MI, CLBING. WE COULD NOT IDENT THE TFC VISUALLY, BUT BEGAN 'SEEING' IT ON OUR TCASII. THE IMAGE QUICKLY ENTERED OUR 5 MI RING ON THE TCASII, STILL CLBING, LESS THAN 1000 FT BELOW US. WE REDUCED OUR RATE OF DSCNT. APCH CALLED THE TFC AT 12 - 1 O'CLOCK, BUT WE STILL HAD NO VISUAL CONTACT. AT 3800 FT, WE LEVELED OFF AND ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY RECEIVED A TCASII 'TFC, TFC' ALERT. AT THIS TIME APCH REASSIGNED 3500 FT FOR OUR LEVELOFF. WE INFORMED APCH THAT WE WERE TAKING EVASIVE ACTION, CLBED TO 4000 FT AND TURNED R 90 DEGS TO W. AS WE COMPLETED THE TURN WE SIGHTED OUR TFC PASSING OPPOSITE DIRECTION DIRECTLY BELOW US. I BELIEVE THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF APCH HAD VECTORED US AWAY FROM THE TFC OR STOPPED OUR DSCNT EARLIER. ALSO, COM BTWN VLD TWR AND APCH COULD HAVE LED TO COORD OF OUR FLT PATHS.

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.