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Potential conflict when a descending MD80 does not get a TA, but is cleared through the altitude of a circling cpr citation jet VFR at 17500 ft, 65 mi northeast of smf, ca.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 555907 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200208 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : smf.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 18000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mcc.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude ground : maintenance |
| Route In Use | arrival star : flunk |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mcc.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Cessna Citation Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 555907 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure 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 other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 10000 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
Location: approximately 65 NM ene of smf on flunk arrival. Descending through FL180 cleared to 16000 ft, I noticed a TCASII contact directly ahead about 5 NM, 900 ft below. I asked smf approach control if they had the contact and the controller said 'yes, VFR at 17500 ft.' just then, we received a TCASII alert advising us to monitor vertical speed and the vsi instructed us to level off. We did so and then we got another immediate alert to climb -- we complied. I picked up the contact visually at about 3 NM in a right turn and it passed less than 2 NM off our left wing approximately 500 ft below. At this time we were at FL185 and the TCASII alert stopped. The other aircraft appeared to be a citation jet. When I told the controller that we had an RA and the other aircraft was much closer than we would like, he responded that he was not talking to the other aircraft and they may have had their altimeters misset. My concern is that we were cleared through the other aircraft's VFR altitude and if not for TCASII we may have never seen the other aircraft. At no time were we forewarned that this aircraft was in the vicinity. When I questioned the controller, he did not appear to be the least bit concerned.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT WHEN A DSNDING MD80 DOES NOT GET A TA, BUT IS CLRED THROUGH THE ALT OF A CIRCLING CPR CITATION JET VFR AT 17500 FT, 65 MI NE OF SMF, CA.
Narrative: LOCATION: APPROX 65 NM ENE OF SMF ON FLUNK ARR. DSNDING THROUGH FL180 CLRED TO 16000 FT, I NOTICED A TCASII CONTACT DIRECTLY AHEAD ABOUT 5 NM, 900 FT BELOW. I ASKED SMF APCH CTL IF THEY HAD THE CONTACT AND THE CTLR SAID 'YES, VFR AT 17500 FT.' JUST THEN, WE RECEIVED A TCASII ALERT ADVISING US TO MONITOR VERT SPD AND THE VSI INSTRUCTED US TO LEVEL OFF. WE DID SO AND THEN WE GOT ANOTHER IMMEDIATE ALERT TO CLB -- WE COMPLIED. I PICKED UP THE CONTACT VISUALLY AT ABOUT 3 NM IN A R TURN AND IT PASSED LESS THAN 2 NM OFF OUR L WING APPROX 500 FT BELOW. AT THIS TIME WE WERE AT FL185 AND THE TCASII ALERT STOPPED. THE OTHER ACFT APPEARED TO BE A CITATION JET. WHEN I TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE HAD AN RA AND THE OTHER ACFT WAS MUCH CLOSER THAN WE WOULD LIKE, HE RESPONDED THAT HE WAS NOT TALKING TO THE OTHER ACFT AND THEY MAY HAVE HAD THEIR ALTIMETERS MISSET. MY CONCERN IS THAT WE WERE CLRED THROUGH THE OTHER ACFT'S VFR ALT AND IF NOT FOR TCASII WE MAY HAVE NEVER SEEN THE OTHER ACFT. AT NO TIME WERE WE FOREWARNED THAT THIS ACFT WAS IN THE VICINITY. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE CTLR, HE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE THE LEAST BIT CONCERNED.
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.