B757-200 crew had less than legal separation with a small aircraft flying in the clouds with no IFR ...

Attributes
ACN	530149
Time
Date	200111
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 27r other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	530149
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 5
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were heading 300 degrees, descending from 3000 ft to 2000 ft with clearance to intercept the runway 27R localizer. We were very close to localizer capture. We were IFR. Cloud tops at 3200 ft. Bases at 2000 ft. When passing 2500 ft descent rate of 500 FPM, approach called out VFR traffic 1 O'clock position, 1 mi. Almost immediately we got a TA, and the traffic initially appeared on TCASII. The traffic was heading toward us and climbing. Initially, the first TCASII target was 600 ft below. We initiated a climb to 3300 ft getting clear of clouds. We never did see the traffic, but 1 passenger did report seeing a small aircraft off the right side. No details or description. This VFR aircraft was definitely in the clouds. When TCASII showed the intruder behind us, and approach confirmed it, we descended to 2000 ft, intercepted localizer and GS, completing the approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 CREW HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION WITH A SMALL ACFT FLYING IN THE CLOUDS WITH NO IFR CLRNC AT FLL.

Narrative: WE WERE HDG 300 DEGS, DSNDING FROM 3000 FT TO 2000 FT WITH CLRNC TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 27R LOC. WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO LOC CAPTURE. WE WERE IFR. CLOUD TOPS AT 3200 FT. BASES AT 2000 FT. WHEN PASSING 2500 FT DSCNT RATE OF 500 FPM, APCH CALLED OUT VFR TFC 1 O'CLOCK POS, 1 MI. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WE GOT A TA, AND THE TFC INITIALLY APPEARED ON TCASII. THE TFC WAS HDG TOWARD US AND CLBING. INITIALLY, THE FIRST TCASII TARGET WAS 600 FT BELOW. WE INITIATED A CLB TO 3300 FT GETTING CLR OF CLOUDS. WE NEVER DID SEE THE TFC, BUT 1 PAX DID RPT SEEING A SMALL ACFT OFF THE R SIDE. NO DETAILS OR DESCRIPTION. THIS VFR ACFT WAS DEFINITELY IN THE CLOUDS. WHEN TCASII SHOWED THE INTRUDER BEHIND US, AND APCH CONFIRMED IT, WE DSNDED TO 2000 FT, INTERCEPTED LOC AND GS, COMPLETING THE APCH.

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.

B757-200 crew had less than legal separation with a small aircraft flying in the clouds with no IFR clearance at fll.