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A B737-700 reports a potential conflict at 13000 ft with unknown traffic climbing, opposite direction traffic, 32 mi southwest of las, nv.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 588957 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200307 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | intersection : clarr |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 12600 msl bound upper : 13000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : l30.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-700 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival star : skebr |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4500 |
| ASRS Report | 588957 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to assigned altitude |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 5200 vertical : 400 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Weather |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
Level at 13000 ft/250 KTS approaching clarr intersection on skebr arrival to las, ATC called opposite direction traffic below us. As our distances closed, our TCASII advised 'traffic' at 700 ft and 'climbing' directly on our nose and opposite direction. We were skimming the bases of a cloud layer and did not have visual contact. We tried to advise the ATC approach controller with no response and subsequent frequency congestion. TCASII continued to show the other aircraft climbing to less than 400 ft below us and continuing, followed by the TCASII 'climb' RA. I disconnected the autoplt and initiated a climb to comply with TCASII commands. At 13400 ft, 'monitor vertical speed' alert sounded. Passing the traffic, we descended back to 13000 ft, advised ATC and resumed the arrival. ATC seemed only mildly concerned. I think a vector to avoid traffic in such close proximity and closing should have been provided. TCASII pays for itself for conflicts such as this.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-700 RPTS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT AT 13000 FT WITH UNKNOWN TFC CLBING, OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC, 32 MI SW OF LAS, NV.
Narrative: LEVEL AT 13000 FT/250 KTS APCHING CLARR INTXN ON SKEBR ARR TO LAS, ATC CALLED OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC BELOW US. AS OUR DISTANCES CLOSED, OUR TCASII ADVISED 'TFC' AT 700 FT AND 'CLBING' DIRECTLY ON OUR NOSE AND OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WE WERE SKIMMING THE BASES OF A CLOUD LAYER AND DID NOT HAVE VISUAL CONTACT. WE TRIED TO ADVISE THE ATC APCH CTLR WITH NO RESPONSE AND SUBSEQUENT FREQ CONGESTION. TCASII CONTINUED TO SHOW THE OTHER ACFT CLBING TO LESS THAN 400 FT BELOW US AND CONTINUING, FOLLOWED BY THE TCASII 'CLB' RA. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND INITIATED A CLB TO COMPLY WITH TCASII COMMANDS. AT 13400 FT, 'MONITOR VERT SPD' ALERT SOUNDED. PASSING THE TFC, WE DSNDED BACK TO 13000 FT, ADVISED ATC AND RESUMED THE ARR. ATC SEEMED ONLY MILDLY CONCERNED. I THINK A VECTOR TO AVOID TFC IN SUCH CLOSE PROX AND CLOSING SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED. TCASII PAYS FOR ITSELF FOR CONFLICTS SUCH AS THIS.
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.