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B737-800 narrowly avoids collision with aircraft maneuvering near final approach course to runway 8L at atl.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 670732 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200509 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : atl.airport |
| State Reference | GA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : atl.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-800 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 8l |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument precision |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : atl.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 670 |
| ASRS Report | 670732 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : executed go around |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 200 vertical : 200 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Established on final runway 8L ILS inbound. We were advised of traffic between us and the runway. We were informed the other aircraft had us in sight and would remain clear of our flight path. 3 NM from runway 8L; the other fixed wing aircraft was observed to be on a parallel course (092 degrees) approximately 150-200 ft to our right; of our intended flight path and approximately 100-200 ft AGL. As we continued our approach; approximately 400-500 ft AGL; the other aircraft appeared to be in a slight right turn away from our flight path but the situation didn't seem right. The other aircraft was too close. The other aircraft was slightly in front of us and 200 ft lower. How could he see us? I decided to go around. Slight climb started; my first officer informed the tower of our go around; then stated that the other aircraft appeared to be in a left turn far greater than 45 degree angle of bank to 90 degree angle of bank -- 'razors edge' into our flight path and passed under us! I believe a precautionary go around on our part was the only factor that stopped a midair collision. The fix: never allow fixed wing aircraft to enter the approach course of an active runway. Close the runway. Don't clear commercial aircraft to land in this dangerous condition. This small aircraft was in the wrong place at the wrong time and heading in the wrong direction to avoid us. There would have been 'no' vertical separation if I didn't go around. In my 28 yrs of flying; I haven't seen anything like this!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-800 NARROWLY AVOIDS COLLISION WITH ACFT MANEUVERING NEAR FINAL APCH COURSE TO RWY 8L AT ATL.
Narrative: ESTABLISHED ON FINAL RWY 8L ILS INBOUND. WE WERE ADVISED OF TFC BTWN US AND THE RWY. WE WERE INFORMED THE OTHER ACFT HAD US IN SIGHT AND WOULD REMAIN CLR OF OUR FLT PATH. 3 NM FROM RWY 8L; THE OTHER FIXED WING ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO BE ON A PARALLEL COURSE (092 DEGS) APPROX 150-200 FT TO OUR R; OF OUR INTENDED FLT PATH AND APPROX 100-200 FT AGL. AS WE CONTINUED OUR APCH; APPROX 400-500 FT AGL; THE OTHER ACFT APPEARED TO BE IN A SLIGHT R TURN AWAY FROM OUR FLT PATH BUT THE SITUATION DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT. THE OTHER ACFT WAS TOO CLOSE. THE OTHER ACFT WAS SLIGHTLY IN FRONT OF US AND 200 FT LOWER. HOW COULD HE SEE US? I DECIDED TO GO AROUND. SLIGHT CLB STARTED; MY FO INFORMED THE TWR OF OUR GAR; THEN STATED THAT THE OTHER ACFT APPEARED TO BE IN A L TURN FAR GREATER THAN 45 DEG ANGLE OF BANK TO 90 DEG ANGLE OF BANK -- 'RAZORS EDGE' INTO OUR FLT PATH AND PASSED UNDER US! I BELIEVE A PRECAUTIONARY GAR ON OUR PART WAS THE ONLY FACTOR THAT STOPPED A MIDAIR COLLISION. THE FIX: NEVER ALLOW FIXED WING ACFT TO ENTER THE APCH COURSE OF AN ACTIVE RWY. CLOSE THE RWY. DON'T CLR COMMERCIAL ACFT TO LAND IN THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. THIS SMALL ACFT WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME AND HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION TO AVOID US. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN 'NO' VERT SEPARATION IF I DIDN'T GO AROUND. IN MY 28 YRS OF FLYING; I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS!
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.