Arriving aircraft received a descent RA from TCASII.

Attributes
ACN	491674
Time
Date	200011
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdl.airport
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl single value : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : y90.tracon tower : bdl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : y90.tracon tower : bdl.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	controller non radar : 2.5 controller radar : 2.5 flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	491674
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : msaw aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In VFR conditions at night, I went below GS intercept altitude on a visual approach clearance to avoid an RA with a cherokee slowly leaving 2000 ft for 2500 ft. ATC called MSAW 'low altitude alert.' we confirmed visual with terrain and then traffic. We have numerous operations to this field and are familiar with terrain. Normal arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARRIVING ACFT RECEIVED A DSCNT RA FROM TCASII.

Narrative: IN VFR CONDITIONS AT NIGHT, I WENT BELOW GS INTERCEPT ALT ON A VISUAL APCH CLRNC TO AVOID AN RA WITH A CHEROKEE SLOWLY LEAVING 2000 FT FOR 2500 FT. ATC CALLED MSAW 'LOW ALT ALERT.' WE CONFIRMED VISUAL WITH TERRAIN AND THEN TFC. WE HAVE NUMEROUS OPS TO THIS FIELD AND ARE FAMILIAR WITH TERRAIN. NORMAL ARR.

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.