Flight crew reports near midair collision with ultralight aircraft 10 NM northeast of ric at 3000 fe...

Attributes
ACN	736028
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Canadair/Bombardier Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Ultralight
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	736028
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	736028
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : nmac other spatial deviation other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were being vectored for a visual approach to runway 20 at ric. ATC gave us a heading of 270 degrees at 3000 ft. Approximately 10 mi northeast of the airport the first officer spotted an ultralight at our altitude right of our course. A couple of seconds later I spotted another ultralight at our altitude on our course. I turned off the autoplt; turned right and began a descent. We missed the ultralight by approximately 200 ft horizontally and 200 ft vertically. We told approach what we did and why. I'm not sure if the ultralights were in the class C airspace or not. ATC had no knowledge of them. If action was not taken there is no doubt in my mind there would have been a collision. It was hard to see traffic because we were looking directly into the sun. Good visual scanning and CRM helped us to avoid a conflict. We had also only been on duty for approximately 6 hours after a good night's rest; which I think helped the quick reaction time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW REPORTS NMAC WITH ULTRALIGHT ACFT 10 NM NE OF RIC AT 3000 FEET.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 20 AT RIC. ATC GAVE US A HDG OF 270 DEGS AT 3000 FT. APPROX 10 MI NE OF THE ARPT THE FO SPOTTED AN ULTRALIGHT AT OUR ALT R OF OUR COURSE. A COUPLE OF SECONDS LATER I SPOTTED ANOTHER ULTRALIGHT AT OUR ALT ON OUR COURSE. I TURNED OFF THE AUTOPLT; TURNED R AND BEGAN A DSCNT. WE MISSED THE ULTRALIGHT BY APPROX 200 FT HORIZONTALLY AND 200 FT VERTICALLY. WE TOLD APCH WHAT WE DID AND WHY. I'M NOT SURE IF THE ULTRALIGHTS WERE IN THE CLASS C AIRSPACE OR NOT. ATC HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THEM. IF ACTION WAS NOT TAKEN THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A COLLISION. IT WAS HARD TO SEE TFC BECAUSE WE WERE LOOKING DIRECTLY INTO THE SUN. GOOD VISUAL SCANNING AND CRM HELPED US TO AVOID A CONFLICT. WE HAD ALSO ONLY BEEN ON DUTY FOR APPROX 6 HRS AFTER A GOOD NIGHT'S REST; WHICH I THINK HELPED THE QUICK REACTION TIME.

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.

Flight crew reports near midair collision with ultralight aircraft 10 NM northeast of ric at 3000 feet.