Narrative:

We were descending into manchester on a downwind for a visual approach. On a 180 degree heading and landing north in manchester; I noticed a target on TCAS at our 10-11 degree position. At the time I was on the 10 mi scale on the navigation display; then went to the 5 NM scale noticing the closure and altitude separation decreasing. This was a situation which was deteriorating. Mind you; we were not advised of the traffic; not to mention had been cleared to an altitude lower than this traffic. We were cleared to 3000 ft. I noticed this traffic level at 5000 ft and am almost certain it was 500 ft below. Being cleared to 3000 ft this didn't look good; I also started a shallow turn wbound. This aircraft was also wbound. Everything was coming together. Still no advisory. I asked my copilot to query approach and what he'd like us to do. At this point; I don't know what approach said; I told my copilot to tell approach I was leveling off; I did with a slight climb. At this point; I got the traffic in sight. We did get a TA and RA. I couldn't tell you what the RA said because I was outside. With this traffic being wbound; had I continued the descent with that turn I mentioned we would have collided. After my copilot queried approach he told us to level at 4500 ft which would have been that traffic's altitude. I mentioned this on the radio. We had to ask if we were cleared again to 3000 ft. That was about it; left turn back around cleared visual contact the tower. This handling by approach was abysmal. This was a very serious situation; where there was a disregard for safety and that situation in general; not much interest apparent. As we all know; accidents happen usually when many things compound. Fortunately it was VMC; ourselves we were wrapping up a 13 hour duty day and were familiar with the airport. An alert crew took action to avert disaster. Everyone makes mistakes; however; that situation should not have happened. Approach keeping track of basic VFR separation would have taken care of it. Unacceptable handling.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARJ EXPERIENCES TA-RA DURING APCH TO MHT.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING INTO MANCHESTER ON A DOWNWIND FOR A VISUAL APCH. ON A 180 DEG HDG AND LNDG N IN MANCHESTER; I NOTICED A TARGET ON TCAS AT OUR 10-11 DEG POS. AT THE TIME I WAS ON THE 10 MI SCALE ON THE NAV DISPLAY; THEN WENT TO THE 5 NM SCALE NOTICING THE CLOSURE AND ALT SEPARATION DECREASING. THIS WAS A SITUATION WHICH WAS DETERIORATING. MIND YOU; WE WERE NOT ADVISED OF THE TFC; NOT TO MENTION HAD BEEN CLRED TO AN ALT LOWER THAN THIS TFC. WE WERE CLRED TO 3000 FT. I NOTICED THIS TFC LEVEL AT 5000 FT AND AM ALMOST CERTAIN IT WAS 500 FT BELOW. BEING CLRED TO 3000 FT THIS DIDN'T LOOK GOOD; I ALSO STARTED A SHALLOW TURN WBOUND. THIS ACFT WAS ALSO WBOUND. EVERYTHING WAS COMING TOGETHER. STILL NO ADVISORY. I ASKED MY COPLT TO QUERY APCH AND WHAT HE'D LIKE US TO DO. AT THIS POINT; I DON'T KNOW WHAT APCH SAID; I TOLD MY COPLT TO TELL APCH I WAS LEVELING OFF; I DID WITH A SLIGHT CLB. AT THIS POINT; I GOT THE TFC IN SIGHT. WE DID GET A TA AND RA. I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHAT THE RA SAID BECAUSE I WAS OUTSIDE. WITH THIS TFC BEING WBOUND; HAD I CONTINUED THE DSCNT WITH THAT TURN I MENTIONED WE WOULD HAVE COLLIDED. AFTER MY COPLT QUERIED APCH HE TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 4500 FT WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN THAT TFC'S ALT. I MENTIONED THIS ON THE RADIO. WE HAD TO ASK IF WE WERE CLRED AGAIN TO 3000 FT. THAT WAS ABOUT IT; L TURN BACK AROUND CLRED VISUAL CONTACT THE TWR. THIS HANDLING BY APCH WAS ABYSMAL. THIS WAS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION; WHERE THERE WAS A DISREGARD FOR SAFETY AND THAT SITUATION IN GENERAL; NOT MUCH INTEREST APPARENT. AS WE ALL KNOW; ACCIDENTS HAPPEN USUALLY WHEN MANY THINGS COMPOUND. FORTUNATELY IT WAS VMC; OURSELVES WE WERE WRAPPING UP A 13 HR DUTY DAY AND WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. AN ALERT CREW TOOK ACTION TO AVERT DISASTER. EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES; HOWEVER; THAT SITUATION SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. APCH KEEPING TRACK OF BASIC VFR SEPARATION WOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT. UNACCEPTABLE HANDLING.

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.