B737-700 flight crew has a TCAS RA during panoche two arrival to oak.

Attributes
ACN	716529
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.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 : panoche.2
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 274
ASRS Report	716529
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure

Narrative:

Aircraft was on panoche arrival into oak in VMC conditions. We were vectored 10 degrees right of course for GA aircraft separation. We were level at 6000 ft and instructed to descend to 5000 ft to clear traffic. I saw traffic maneuvering at our 11 O'clock position and was told by ATC that it was a mooney above us. However; it turned out to be a glider below us in a right bank turning directly towards us. The glider continued to turn and climb towards us. I added power and started a climb and turned away from the traffic. The first officer notified ATC of our avoidance maneuver just as the TCAS RA sounded a few seconds after adding power. It indicated a 2000 FPM climb in order to clear the traffic; and we climbed immediately to 7000 ft. The controller seemed confused to why we were climbing when we were given a descent clearance. The controller did not know there was a glider in the area and had no contact with the glider. ATC instructed us to descend when able. VFR traffic should avoid maneuvering over arrival rtes without communicating to ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 FLT CREW HAS A TCAS RA DURING PANOCHE TWO ARR TO OAK.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ON PANOCHE ARR INTO OAK IN VMC CONDITIONS. WE WERE VECTORED 10 DEGS R OF COURSE FOR GA ACFT SEPARATION. WE WERE LEVEL AT 6000 FT AND INSTRUCTED TO DSND TO 5000 FT TO CLR TFC. I SAW TFC MANEUVERING AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS AND WAS TOLD BY ATC THAT IT WAS A MOONEY ABOVE US. HOWEVER; IT TURNED OUT TO BE A GLIDER BELOW US IN A R BANK TURNING DIRECTLY TOWARDS US. THE GLIDER CONTINUED TO TURN AND CLB TOWARDS US. I ADDED PWR AND STARTED A CLB AND TURNED AWAY FROM THE TFC. THE FO NOTIFIED ATC OF OUR AVOIDANCE MANEUVER JUST AS THE TCAS RA SOUNDED A FEW SECONDS AFTER ADDING PWR. IT INDICATED A 2000 FPM CLB IN ORDER TO CLR THE TFC; AND WE CLBED IMMEDIATELY TO 7000 FT. THE CTLR SEEMED CONFUSED TO WHY WE WERE CLBING WHEN WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT CLRNC. THE CTLR DID NOT KNOW THERE WAS A GLIDER IN THE AREA AND HAD NO CONTACT WITH THE GLIDER. ATC INSTRUCTED US TO DSND WHEN ABLE. VFR TFC SHOULD AVOID MANEUVERING OVER ARR RTES WITHOUT COMMUNICATING TO ATC.

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.