A-319 crew had near midair collision on descent into rdu.

Attributes
ACN	474120
Time
Date	200005
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 113 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 113
ASRS Report	474120
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Descending into rdu, controller issued traffic at '2:30 position, 8500 ft.' first officer looked at 2:30 position and said 'traffic in sight.' controller then issued clearance to maintain visual separation on traffic, descend and maintain some lower altitude. I looked at the traffic, and due to the city lights I could not ascertain what that traffic was doing, and told first officer to advise ATC of such. After all, I didn't like the idea of descending through an altitude with traffic if I couldn't determine what that traffic was doing. ATC then turned us about 20 degrees left to 'go behind that traffic' and cleared us for descent. I then got a TCAS TA, followed by an RA 'climb, climb.' we complied, climbed and advised ATC. We asked 'what is this traffic here,' and he stated 'that is the traffic I wanted you to maintain visual on.' when we replied that traffic was more like at 11:00 position, the controller said 'I told you he was at 10:00 position not 2:30 position.' we both had heard him say 2:30 position. I think he confused 10:00 position and 2:00 position, as they are both 20 degrees off of our nose.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A-319 CREW HAD NMAC ON DESCENT INTO RDU.

Narrative: DSNDING INTO RDU, CTLR ISSUED TFC AT '2:30 POS, 8500 FT.' FO LOOKED AT 2:30 POS AND SAID 'TFC IN SIGHT.' CTLR THEN ISSUED CLRNC TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION ON TFC, DSND AND MAINTAIN SOME LOWER ALT. I LOOKED AT THE TFC, AND DUE TO THE CITY LIGHTS I COULD NOT ASCERTAIN WHAT THAT TFC WAS DOING, AND TOLD FO TO ADVISE ATC OF SUCH. AFTER ALL, I DIDN'T LIKE THE IDEA OF DSNDING THROUGH AN ALT WITH TFC IF I COULDN'T DETERMINE WHAT THAT TFC WAS DOING. ATC THEN TURNED US ABOUT 20 DEGS L TO 'GO BEHIND THAT TFC' AND CLRED US FOR DSCNT. I THEN GOT A TCAS TA, FOLLOWED BY AN RA 'CLB, CLB.' WE COMPLIED, CLBED AND ADVISED ATC. WE ASKED 'WHAT IS THIS TFC HERE,' AND HE STATED 'THAT IS THE TFC I WANTED YOU TO MAINTAIN VISUAL ON.' WHEN WE REPLIED THAT TFC WAS MORE LIKE AT 11:00 POS, THE CTLR SAID 'I TOLD YOU HE WAS AT 10:00 POS NOT 2:30 POS.' WE BOTH HAD HEARD HIM SAY 2:30 POS. I THINK HE CONFUSED 10:00 POS AND 2:00 POS, AS THEY ARE BOTH 20 DEGREES OFF OF OUR NOSE.

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.