Narrative:

Another save for TCASII. We were at 2100 ft MSL being vectored for a visual approach to runway 9R at mlb. At about 8 mi from the runway we got a pop-up target on the TCASII which, according to the TCASII display, was 500 ft below us and climbing just to the right of our nose. We received a single 'traffic' aural alert from the TCASII and then we got the RA which directed a climb. I disconnected the autoplt and immediately initiated a climb per TCASII direction. At about the same time that we were initiating the climb, approach control gave us a traffic alert and suggested a turn. We advised that we were climbing in response to the RA. Neither myself nor my first officer ever visually acquired the traffic. The TCASII display showed that we got to within 200 ft vertically of the other aircraft. I would estimate, based on a quick look at the TCASII display, that the lateral separation was within 1 mi. I leveled the aircraft at 3000 ft MSL when the TCASII aural 'clear of conflict' sounded. We continued a visual approach and landed uneventfully at mlb. I spoke with the daytona beach approach control supervisor who advised that the conflicting traffic was a pop-up VFR target that they were not working. As quick as the approach controller's TA was, I firmly believe that our TCASII system helped us to avoid a major disaster. We were already initiating a climb evasive maneuver when the controller made the traffic call. Score another one for TCASII! Supplemental information from acn 537121: the captain, PF, followed the RA on the vsi, which was indicating a climb of greater than 2000 FPM, and climbed. I do not believe medium large transport approach was in radio contact with the other aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 ON APCH TO MLG CLBS IN RESPONSE TO TCASII WARNING AND TA FROM THE APCH CTLR AT DAB WHEN FLT IS 10 MI W OF MLB, FL.

Narrative: ANOTHER SAVE FOR TCASII. WE WERE AT 2100 FT MSL BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 9R AT MLB. AT ABOUT 8 MI FROM THE RWY WE GOT A POP-UP TARGET ON THE TCASII WHICH, ACCORDING TO THE TCASII DISPLAY, WAS 500 FT BELOW US AND CLBING JUST TO THE R OF OUR NOSE. WE RECEIVED A SINGLE 'TFC' AURAL ALERT FROM THE TCASII AND THEN WE GOT THE RA WHICH DIRECTED A CLB. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A CLB PER TCASII DIRECTION. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THAT WE WERE INITIATING THE CLB, APCH CTL GAVE US A TFC ALERT AND SUGGESTED A TURN. WE ADVISED THAT WE WERE CLBING IN RESPONSE TO THE RA. NEITHER MYSELF NOR MY FO EVER VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE TFC. THE TCASII DISPLAY SHOWED THAT WE GOT TO WITHIN 200 FT VERTLY OF THE OTHER ACFT. I WOULD ESTIMATE, BASED ON A QUICK LOOK AT THE TCASII DISPLAY, THAT THE LATERAL SEPARATION WAS WITHIN 1 MI. I LEVELED THE ACFT AT 3000 FT MSL WHEN THE TCASII AURAL 'CLR OF CONFLICT' SOUNDED. WE CONTINUED A VISUAL APCH AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT MLB. I SPOKE WITH THE DAYTONA BEACH APCH CTL SUPVR WHO ADVISED THAT THE CONFLICTING TFC WAS A POP-UP VFR TARGET THAT THEY WERE NOT WORKING. AS QUICK AS THE APCH CTLR'S TA WAS, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT OUR TCASII SYS HELPED US TO AVOID A MAJOR DISASTER. WE WERE ALREADY INITIATING A CLB EVASIVE MANEUVER WHEN THE CTLR MADE THE TFC CALL. SCORE ANOTHER ONE FOR TCASII! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 537121: THE CAPT, PF, FOLLOWED THE RA ON THE VSI, WHICH WAS INDICATING A CLB OF GREATER THAN 2000 FPM, AND CLBED. I DO NOT BELIEVE MLG APCH WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT.

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.