Close proximity air carrier-large transport GA-small transport on airway south of pvd.

Attributes
ACN	88837
Time
Date	198806
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pvd
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12500 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : pvd
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small 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
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	88837
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Quonset approach control advised VFR traffic 12500', 12 O'clock. My aircraft was descending through 12500' at moment of advisory. First officer (flying) immediately increased rate of descent. Traffic was sighted 12 O'clock, approximately 1/4 mi as my aircraft passed through 12300'. Traffic passed approximately 200' overhead on reciprocal heading. Traffic was not in radio contact with approach control. Believed to have been an small transport. Earlier advisory would have been helpful. Visibility was good in some haze. Head on profile made sighting difficult. Lack of communications between VFR traffic and ATC major cause.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-LGT GA-SMT ON AIRWAY SOUTH OF PVD.

Narrative: QUONSET APCH CTL ADVISED VFR TFC 12500', 12 O'CLOCK. MY ACFT WAS DSNDING THROUGH 12500' AT MOMENT OF ADVISORY. F/O (FLYING) IMMEDIATELY INCREASED RATE OF DSCNT. TFC WAS SIGHTED 12 O'CLOCK, APPROX 1/4 MI AS MY ACFT PASSED THROUGH 12300'. TFC PASSED APPROX 200' OVERHEAD ON RECIPROCAL HDG. TFC WAS NOT IN RADIO CONTACT WITH APCH CTL. BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN AN SMT. EARLIER ADVISORY WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL. VIS WAS GOOD IN SOME HAZE. HEAD ON PROFILE MADE SIGHTING DIFFICULT. LACK OF COMS BTWN VFR TFC AND ATC MAJOR CAUSE.

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.