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Near collision between to acrs, opposite direction on same airway, with one IFR and the other VFR.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 83541 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198803 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : dbl |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17200 msl bound upper : 17500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv tower : clt |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : j60 enroute airway : v134 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 265 flight time total : 16000 |
| ASRS Report | 83541 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 83430 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 1500 vertical : 300 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
While enroute from denver to aspen, colorado with 86 passengers, we had a near miss with light transport Y. We were descending through 17500' to 16000' in the clear and working with denver center. We were 4 miles from 'herls' intersection (our TACAN IAF). We had not yet been cleared for the approach! I noticed traffic at 12 O'clock, slightly low, and 1 - 2 miles. I pointed it out to the first officer who was flying the aircraft, and I turned on the landing lights. He saw the traffic in 1 - 2 second and banked to the left just as the other traffic banked to his left. We passed within 100' - 200' of each other in a 30 - 40 degree bank. No passenger were injured, and most didn't even notice anything had happened. I checked with center and they said it was a VFR aircraft climbing to 17500'. They never pointed him out to us! Nor did they seem very concerned. Suggestions: light transport Y was climbing on an airway (J60) and wasn't in radio contact with center. Center was busy and failed to notify us of their position even though they had him on radar. No aircraft should climb on an airway at less than a 45 degree angle. All VFR traffic above 10000' should be in contact with a center. 'Center' controllers and supervisors need to watch their radars better, especially where there is a potential conflict of traffic (whether IFR or VFR). I feel that the controller in this case should be disciplined! We came within 200' of losing more than 90 lives. On weekends in the ski season there is an exceptional amount of traffic in and out of the aspen airport. I think den center should have one controller working only one frequency (128.5). Now, he works two, and it's just too much for some of them to handle. Supplemental information from acn 83430 reveals the following: I was completing the cruise check, when the flying pilot (first officer) saw a medium large transport to our front just a little to out right headed toward us at our altitude. We took immediate action and banked left (steep) to avoid a midair.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: NEAR COLLISION BETWEEN TO ACRS, OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON SAME AIRWAY, WITH ONE IFR AND THE OTHER VFR.
Narrative: WHILE ENROUTE FROM DENVER TO ASPEN, COLORADO WITH 86 PASSENGERS, WE HAD A NEAR MISS WITH LTT Y. WE WERE DESCENDING THROUGH 17500' TO 16000' IN THE CLEAR AND WORKING WITH DENVER CENTER. WE WERE 4 MILES FROM 'HERLS' INTERSECTION (OUR TACAN IAF). WE HAD NOT YET BEEN CLRED FOR THE APPROACH! I NOTICED TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, SLIGHTLY LOW, AND 1 - 2 MILES. I POINTED IT OUT TO THE FIRST OFFICER WHO WAS FLYING THE ACFT, AND I TURNED ON THE LANDING LIGHTS. HE SAW THE TFC IN 1 - 2 SEC AND BANKED TO THE LEFT JUST AS THE OTHER TFC BANKED TO HIS LEFT. WE PASSED WITHIN 100' - 200' OF EACH OTHER IN A 30 - 40 DEG BANK. NO PAX WERE INJURED, AND MOST DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE ANYTHING HAD HAPPENED. I CHECKED WITH CENTER AND THEY SAID IT WAS A VFR ACFT CLIMBING TO 17500'. THEY NEVER POINTED HIM OUT TO US! NOR DID THEY SEEM VERY CONCERNED. SUGGESTIONS: LTT Y WAS CLIMBING ON AN AIRWAY (J60) AND WASN'T IN RADIO CONTACT WITH CENTER. CENTER WAS BUSY AND FAILED TO NOTIFY US OF THEIR POSITION EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD HIM ON RADAR. NO ACFT SHOULD CLIMB ON AN AIRWAY AT LESS THAN A 45 DEG ANGLE. ALL VFR TFC ABOVE 10000' SHOULD BE IN CONTACT WITH A CENTER. 'CENTER' CTLRS AND SUPERVISORS NEED TO WATCH THEIR RADARS BETTER, ESPECIALLY WHERE THERE IS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF TFC (WHETHER IFR OR VFR). I FEEL THAT THE CTLR IN THIS CASE SHOULD BE DISCIPLINED! WE CAME WITHIN 200' OF LOSING MORE THAN 90 LIVES. ON WEEKENDS IN THE SKI SEASON THERE IS AN EXCEPTIONAL AMOUNT OF TFC IN AND OUT OF THE ASPEN AIRPORT. I THINK DEN CENTER SHOULD HAVE ONE CTLR WORKING ONLY ONE FREQ (128.5). NOW, HE WORKS TWO, AND IT'S JUST TOO MUCH FOR SOME OF THEM TO HANDLE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 83430 REVEALS THE FOLLOWING: I WAS COMPLETING THE CRUISE CHECK, WHEN THE FLYING PILOT (F/O) SAW A MLG TO OUR FRONT JUST A LITTLE TO OUT RIGHT HEADED TOWARD US AT OUR ALTITUDE. WE TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION AND BANKED LEFT (STEEP) TO AVOID A MIDAIR.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.