Narrative:

Approximately 20 mi from the saf airport, we called it in sight for the visual approach to ZAB. They cleared us for the visual approach and switched us over to saf tower. By the time we switched from ZAB to saf tower, a target appeared without altitude reference on our TCASII and we received the 'traffic, 'traffic' call. Both of us were already looking outside (visual approach) and figured he was lower practicing maneuvers/sightseeing. A couple seconds later, I saw him. Our current path would have collided on top of him. I initiated a climb and a right turn. We were at 10600 ft. He was a high wing private aircraft. I wish I would have taken better account of his aircraft type. We could have even read his n-number! However, it happened when we were at approximately 220 KTS. I would say he was cruising at approximately 60-80 KTS. Saf is a major concern for all pilots at our company. It is a NFCT without radar. However, rumor has it, radar is installed. They just don't use it or haven't been trained. We would not have received a radar advisory from the tower because we just switched over. However, he could have relayed to ZAB. Saf also issues non standard IFR clrncs, waiting on the initial altitude till just prior to departure. Also, depending on your route of flight or SID, they will issue you a clearance altitude that is above a crossing restr when ZAB is expecting the crossing restr. They have been better at letting us know that the restr has been deleted. Saf needs standards training and radar!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B190 FLT CREW INITIATE A TCASII EVASIVE MANEUVER CONDUCTING A VISUAL APCH TO SAF FROM UNKNOWN HIGH WING ACFT TRANSITING THE LCL AREA. RPTR BELIEVES SAF TWR HAS RADAR INSTALLED, BUT IS NOT USING IT.

Narrative: APPROX 20 MI FROM THE SAF ARPT, WE CALLED IT IN SIGHT FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO ZAB. THEY CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH AND SWITCHED US OVER TO SAF TWR. BY THE TIME WE SWITCHED FROM ZAB TO SAF TWR, A TARGET APPEARED WITHOUT ALT REF ON OUR TCASII AND WE RECEIVED THE 'TFC, 'TFC' CALL. BOTH OF US WERE ALREADY LOOKING OUTSIDE (VISUAL APCH) AND FIGURED HE WAS LOWER PRACTICING MANEUVERS/SIGHTSEEING. A COUPLE SECONDS LATER, I SAW HIM. OUR CURRENT PATH WOULD HAVE COLLIDED ON TOP OF HIM. I INITIATED A CLB AND A R TURN. WE WERE AT 10600 FT. HE WAS A HIGH WING PVT ACFT. I WISH I WOULD HAVE TAKEN BETTER ACCOUNT OF HIS ACFT TYPE. WE COULD HAVE EVEN READ HIS N-NUMBER! HOWEVER, IT HAPPENED WHEN WE WERE AT APPROX 220 KTS. I WOULD SAY HE WAS CRUISING AT APPROX 60-80 KTS. SAF IS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR ALL PLTS AT OUR COMPANY. IT IS A NFCT WITHOUT RADAR. HOWEVER, RUMOR HAS IT, RADAR IS INSTALLED. THEY JUST DON'T USE IT OR HAVEN'T BEEN TRAINED. WE WOULD NOT HAVE RECEIVED A RADAR ADVISORY FROM THE TWR BECAUSE WE JUST SWITCHED OVER. HOWEVER, HE COULD HAVE RELAYED TO ZAB. SAF ALSO ISSUES NON STANDARD IFR CLRNCS, WAITING ON THE INITIAL ALT TILL JUST PRIOR TO DEP. ALSO, DEPENDING ON YOUR RTE OF FLT OR SID, THEY WILL ISSUE YOU A CLRNC ALT THAT IS ABOVE A XING RESTR WHEN ZAB IS EXPECTING THE XING RESTR. THEY HAVE BEEN BETTER AT LETTING US KNOW THAT THE RESTR HAS BEEN DELETED. SAF NEEDS STANDARDS TRAINING AND RADAR!

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.