<< >> NASA ASRS Report 599857, November 2003

A B737 flight crew have to take evasive maneuvers to avoid an acrobatic aircraft that was at the wrong altitude and airspace near pbi.

Attributes
ACN	599857
Time
Date	200311
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pbi.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pbi.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pbi.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	599857
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5280 vertical : 1
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While being vectored to localizer runway 9L at pbi, approach gave us a clearance to descend to 3000 ft. We left 5000 ft and shortly after was told to amend our altitude to 3500 ft. Approach said he had VFR traffic below us crossing left to right. My first officer spotted the small high wing aircraft and said he was doing aerobatics. I looked up and at our 12 O'clock position, I saw an aircraft climbing at approximately 6000 ft to 7000 ft vertical and spinning. He subsequently stopped his climb, but now was in an extremely steep turn directly toward us. I immediately disconnected the autoplt and began an evasive climbing left turn. I advised approach we were climbing through 4200 ft and turning left. He replied roger, he had contact with us and the traffic and that the small aircraft had violated altitude and airspace restrs. We were cleared for traffic and proceeded to pbi.

Related reports:

• B737 flight crew has to take evasive maneuvers during takeof...
• Flight crew took evasive maneuvers based on ATC instructions...
• Flight crew of cargo aircraft casa 212 makes evasive maneuve...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 FLT CREW HAVE TO TAKE EVASIVE MANEUVERS TO AVOID AN ACROBATIC ACFT THAT WAS AT THE WRONG ALT AND AIRSPACE NEAR PBI.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED TO LOC RWY 9L AT PBI, APCH GAVE US A CLRNC TO DSND TO 3000 FT. WE LEFT 5000 FT AND SHORTLY AFTER WAS TOLD TO AMEND OUR ALT TO 3500 FT. APCH SAID HE HAD VFR TFC BELOW US XING L TO R. MY FO SPOTTED THE SMALL HIGH WING ACFT AND SAID HE WAS DOING AEROBATICS. I LOOKED UP AND AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS, I SAW AN ACFT CLBING AT APPROX 6000 FT TO 7000 FT VERT AND SPINNING. HE SUBSEQUENTLY STOPPED HIS CLB, BUT NOW WAS IN AN EXTREMELY STEEP TURN DIRECTLY TOWARD US. I IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND BEGAN AN EVASIVE CLBING L TURN. I ADVISED APCH WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 4200 FT AND TURNING L. HE REPLIED ROGER, HE HAD CONTACT WITH US AND THE TFC AND THAT THE SMALL ACFT HAD VIOLATED ALT AND AIRSPACE RESTRS. WE WERE CLRED FOR TFC AND PROCEEDED TO PBI.

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.