IFR citation landing hnd; vectored by L30 TRACON; experienced conflict at 6300 with issued VFR traff...

Attributes
ACN	822517
Time
Date	200902
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	HND.Airport
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Cessna Citation Mustang (C510)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	PA-46 Malibu/Malibu Mirage/Malibu Matrix
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 250 Flight Crew Total 6200 Flight Crew Type 550
Events
Anomaly	Conflict Airborne Conflict

Narrative:

While being vectored for a visual approach to henderson airport; vegas approach advised of VFR traffic at the pilot's 2 o'clock position. VFR aircraft appeared to be scud running below the cloud deck. Our aircraft was constantly in and out of IMC. Pilot advised ATC that we were IMC and unable to find traffic. Pilot of jetprop continued his descent towards hnd. Vegas approach descended us to 6;000 ft; same altitude as the jetprop. With the traffic page brought up on 2 mile scale; it appeared to us as if we were descending right into the traffic in IMC. As we ducked out of a cloud at 6;300 ft we noticed what we thought might be the aircraft ahead; and decided to take evasive action. We started a full power climb 15 degrees nose up and advised vegas approach we were declaring an emergency for safety. We felt the controller could have done a better job; of having heard us IMC of asking the jetprop if he was maintaining VFR; which we found to be doubtful. The controller also; should have not; descended us knowing there was an aircraft there at the same altitude that we ere unable to maintain visual contact with or acquire visually.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR Citation landing HND; vectored by L30 TRACON; experienced conflict at 6300 with issued VFR traffic; executed emergency climb; Reporter claiming ATC's decision to issue decent clearance into known traffic was a safety issue.

Narrative: While being vectored for a visual approach to Henderson Airport; Vegas Approach advised of VFR traffic at the pilot's 2 o'clock position. VFR aircraft appeared to be scud running below the cloud deck. Our aircraft was constantly in and out of IMC. Pilot advised ATC that we were IMC and unable to find traffic. Pilot of jetprop continued his descent towards HND. Vegas Approach descended us to 6;000 FT; same altitude as the jetprop. With the Traffic Page brought up on 2 mile scale; it appeared to us as if we were descending right into the traffic in IMC. As we ducked out of a cloud at 6;300 FT we noticed what we thought might be the aircraft ahead; and decided to take evasive action. We started a full power climb 15 degrees nose up and advised Vegas Approach we were declaring an emergency for safety. We felt the Controller could have done a better job; of having heard us IMC of asking the jetprop if he was maintaining VFR; which we found to be doubtful. The Controller also; should have not; descended us knowing there was an aircraft there at the same altitude that we ere unable to maintain visual contact with or acquire visually.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

IFR citation landing hnd; vectored by L30 TRACON; experienced conflict at 6300 with issued VFR traffic; executed emergency climb; reporter claiming ATC's decision to issue decent clearance into known traffic was a safety issue.