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A B737 flight crew on approach to sat experienced a TCAS RA when a VFR aircraft passed 300 ft below him.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 731572 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200703 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sat.airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sat.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sat.tower |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time type : 2225 |
| ASRS Report | 731572 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 300 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Turning right base to final for the visual approach to runway 3 at sat. Was at 4000 ft MSL and cleared for the visual. Started a right descending turn. Just as the descent started with about 750 FPM; I noticed an aircraft on TCAS showing -400 along my descent path. I immediately rolled out and started to pull the nose up. As the descent was arrested we received a TA warning immediately followed by an RA command to climb. I followed the RA command and saw the conflict aircraft on the scope flowing toward us with about -300 altitude differential. We cleared the traffic; repositioned for the approach and landed normally. ATC in the tower was informed of our deviation. The tower controller informed us that he had VFR traffic in that location but that the VFR pilot had informed him that he was at 2500 ft MSL; even though he actually was at 3500 ft MSL. I think we did everything correctly within our cockpit and responded efficiently to the TA/RA warnings. If the tower had informed us about the VFR traffic earlier; this event may have been avoided. However; I think the tower did not think he would be a conflict because he reported that he was 1000 ft lower than he was.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737 FLT CREW ON APPROACH TO SAT EXPERIENCED A TCAS RA WHEN A VFR AIRCRAFT PASSED 300 FT BELOW HIM.
Narrative: TURNING R BASE TO FINAL FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 3 AT SAT. WAS AT 4000 FT MSL AND CLRED FOR THE VISUAL. STARTED A R DSNDING TURN. JUST AS THE DSCNT STARTED WITH ABOUT 750 FPM; I NOTICED AN ACFT ON TCAS SHOWING -400 ALONG MY DSCNT PATH. I IMMEDIATELY ROLLED OUT AND STARTED TO PULL THE NOSE UP. AS THE DSCNT WAS ARRESTED WE RECEIVED A TA WARNING IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY AN RA COMMAND TO CLB. I FOLLOWED THE RA COMMAND AND SAW THE CONFLICT ACFT ON THE SCOPE FLOWING TOWARD US WITH ABOUT -300 ALT DIFFERENTIAL. WE CLRED THE TFC; REPOSITIONED FOR THE APCH AND LANDED NORMALLY. ATC IN THE TWR WAS INFORMED OF OUR DEV. THE TWR CTLR INFORMED US THAT HE HAD VFR TFC IN THAT LOCATION BUT THAT THE VFR PLT HAD INFORMED HIM THAT HE WAS AT 2500 FT MSL; EVEN THOUGH HE ACTUALLY WAS AT 3500 FT MSL. I THINK WE DID EVERYTHING CORRECTLY WITHIN OUR COCKPIT AND RESPONDED EFFICIENTLY TO THE TA/RA WARNINGS. IF THE TWR HAD INFORMED US ABOUT THE VFR TFC EARLIER; THIS EVENT MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. HOWEVER; I THINK THE TWR DID NOT THINK HE WOULD BE A CONFLICT BECAUSE HE RPTED THAT HE WAS 1000 FT LOWER THAN HE WAS.
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.