Narrative:

We were descended down to 4000' MSL. Descent checklist were complete, altimeters set to bdl settings. Captain's and copilot's altimeters were within +/-25'. While level at 4000' approximately 3 mi south of airport, approach called traffic 11:30-12 O'clock position, 3500' and 2 mi. We responded, 'no joy.' 30 seconds later we, copilot and myself, spotted traffic 12 O'clock at our altitude less than 1000' passing west to east. We hardbanked left, he did the same, passing off right wing tip. Approach asked the aircraft, a twin engine small transport, what his altitude was. No answer. He asked again, no answer. We were switched over to tower control and heard nothing more. Flight crews first leg together with no problems. The WX was a low lying haze, tops about 2000'. Why then didn't we see the traffic? Three sets of eyes were looking for him. Better yet, why didn't he see us? All lights were on on a fairly large aircraft (large transport)? Corrective action to the left because of his direction of flight. If we turned right it would have been disastrous. It seems a TCA would have definitely helped. I think ATC is cutting aircraft too close to accommodate too many aircraft at one time--especially GA and transport. They must remember who pays to use the airports and give priority to the transports. Let's recommend to keep the F/east's position for if even the simple fact of 3 sets of eyes are better than 2. In this case, it probably would have ended in tragedy west/O one.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT AND SMT HAVE NEAR MIDAIR COLLISION.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDED DOWN TO 4000' MSL. DSCNT CHKLIST WERE COMPLETE, ALTIMETERS SET TO BDL SETTINGS. CAPT'S AND COPLT'S ALTIMETERS WERE WITHIN +/-25'. WHILE LEVEL AT 4000' APPROX 3 MI S OF ARPT, APCH CALLED TFC 11:30-12 O'CLOCK POS, 3500' AND 2 MI. WE RESPONDED, 'NO JOY.' 30 SECS LATER WE, COPLT AND MYSELF, SPOTTED TFC 12 O'CLOCK AT OUR ALT LESS THAN 1000' PASSING W TO E. WE HARDBANKED LEFT, HE DID THE SAME, PASSING OFF RIGHT WING TIP. APCH ASKED THE ACFT, A TWIN ENG SMT, WHAT HIS ALT WAS. NO ANSWER. HE ASKED AGAIN, NO ANSWER. WE WERE SWITCHED OVER TO TWR CTL AND HEARD NOTHING MORE. FLT CREWS FIRST LEG TOGETHER WITH NO PROBS. THE WX WAS A LOW LYING HAZE, TOPS ABOUT 2000'. WHY THEN DIDN'T WE SEE THE TFC? THREE SETS OF EYES WERE LOOKING FOR HIM. BETTER YET, WHY DIDN'T HE SEE US? ALL LIGHTS WERE ON ON A FAIRLY LARGE ACFT (LGT)? CORRECTIVE ACTION TO THE LEFT BECAUSE OF HIS DIRECTION OF FLT. IF WE TURNED RIGHT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. IT SEEMS A TCA WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY HELPED. I THINK ATC IS CUTTING ACFT TOO CLOSE TO ACCOMMODATE TOO MANY ACFT AT ONE TIME--ESPECIALLY GA AND TRANSPORT. THEY MUST REMEMBER WHO PAYS TO USE THE ARPTS AND GIVE PRIORITY TO THE TRANSPORTS. LET'S RECOMMEND TO KEEP THE F/E'S POS FOR IF EVEN THE SIMPLE FACT OF 3 SETS OF EYES ARE BETTER THAN 2. IN THIS CASE, IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ENDED IN TRAGEDY W/O ONE.

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.