Narrative:

At approximately XA00Z may 08; while flying the STAR arrival to ZZZ; right over the abc intersection at 17000 ft and 250 KTS as published; while visually scanning the area; I noticed a glider at approximately our altitude heading directly towards us about 500 yards off our left wing. He did not appear on our TCAS and I asked approach control if they knew about him or were talking to him and they said no. I think gliders should be prohibited from operating in heavy jet traffic areas like the arrival gate to a major airport. Very poor judgement was used by the glider pilot to fly in a high jet traffic area like this. This also reaffirms flight crews must look out the window for traffic because not everything shows up on TCAS!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BUSINESS JET ENCOUNTERED A GLIDER AT 17;000' ON A STAR TO AN ARPT IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA. NO TCAS OR TRAFFIC REPORTED BY ATC.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA00Z MAY 08; WHILE FLYING THE STAR ARR TO ZZZ; RIGHT OVER THE ABC INTXN AT 17000 FT AND 250 KTS AS PUBLISHED; WHILE VISUALLY SCANNING THE AREA; I NOTICED A GLIDER AT APPROX OUR ALT HDG DIRECTLY TOWARDS US ABOUT 500 YARDS OFF OUR L WING. HE DID NOT APPEAR ON OUR TCAS AND I ASKED APCH CTL IF THEY KNEW ABOUT HIM OR WERE TALKING TO HIM AND THEY SAID NO. I THINK GLIDERS SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM OPERATING IN HVY JET TFC AREAS LIKE THE ARR GATE TO A MAJOR ARPT. VERY POOR JUDGEMENT WAS USED BY THE GLIDER PLT TO FLY IN A HIGH JET TFC AREA LIKE THIS. THIS ALSO REAFFIRMS FLT CREWS MUST LOOK OUT THE WINDOW FOR TFC BECAUSE NOT EVERYTHING SHOWS UP ON TCAS!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.