Evasive action by both aircraft to prevent midair collision.

Attributes
ACN	89544
Time
Date	198806
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mfr
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4600 msl bound upper : 4600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mfr artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	89544
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	89778
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 400 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

The first officer was flying the aircraft on descent into mfr. As PNF, I was working the radios. The WX was cavu and the air smooth. Mfr has approach control but is non radar. We had been cleared for a visual approach when mfr approach informed us that small transport Y would be departing VFR northbound. We were southbound from the north into mfr. After a short time, I inquired mfr approach as to the position of the traffic. Mfr approach said that he (the traffic) should be up on frequency now. Mfr approach then asked small transport Y his position. Small transport Y said he was abeam the VOR at 4000'. At that instant we were descending through 4800' at a speed of 230 KTS. We immediately leveled off at approximately 4600'. Also at this instant we were at 3 DME east of the VOR, the same position small transport Y had reported. Mfr approach then repeated small transport Y's position, which was stepped on by small transport Y. I responded 'stepped on.' mfr approach then repeated the report. I first saw small transport Y at 12 O'clock, same altitude, at a distance of approximately 1000'. I immediately reached up and initiated the aircraft into a right turn. At the same time I said to my first officer, 'right turn, now!' the twin, a lime green small transport, passed by our left side at the same altitude at a horizontal distance of approximately 400-600'. Small transport Y apparently did not see us until he was right next to us, for he made no evasive action until that point, when he also banked hard right. I then informed mfr approach that we had taken evasive action to avoid small transport Y. Had no action been taken, a collision would have resulted. Several factors contributed here. The frontal view of a small transport is very thin and hard to see. Small transport Y was also not showing any landing, recognition or strobe lights. This particular small transport Y was lime green and blended in very well with the surrounding terrain. Medford, or, sits in a deep valley with a lot of air traffic, especially north and south. The most important factor here is that mfr has no radar! Radar is scheduled to be installed in 1991. Let's continue to hope that manual approach control and that see and avoid prevents an accident until 1991! Let's use some of the trust fund money to help fix these problems!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EVASIVE ACTION BY BOTH ACFT TO PREVENT MIDAIR COLLISION.

Narrative: THE F/O WAS FLYING THE ACFT ON DSCNT INTO MFR. AS PNF, I WAS WORKING THE RADIOS. THE WX WAS CAVU AND THE AIR SMOOTH. MFR HAS APCH CTL BUT IS NON RADAR. WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH WHEN MFR APCH INFORMED US THAT SMT Y WOULD BE DEPARTING VFR NBND. WE WERE SBND FROM THE N INTO MFR. AFTER A SHORT TIME, I INQUIRED MFR APCH AS TO THE POS OF THE TFC. MFR APCH SAID THAT HE (THE TFC) SHOULD BE UP ON FREQ NOW. MFR APCH THEN ASKED SMT Y HIS POS. SMT Y SAID HE WAS ABEAM THE VOR AT 4000'. AT THAT INSTANT WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 4800' AT A SPD OF 230 KTS. WE IMMEDIATELY LEVELED OFF AT APPROX 4600'. ALSO AT THIS INSTANT WE WERE AT 3 DME E OF THE VOR, THE SAME POS SMT Y HAD RPTED. MFR APCH THEN REPEATED SMT Y'S POS, WHICH WAS STEPPED ON BY SMT Y. I RESPONDED 'STEPPED ON.' MFR APCH THEN REPEATED THE RPT. I FIRST SAW SMT Y AT 12 O'CLOCK, SAME ALT, AT A DISTANCE OF APPROX 1000'. I IMMEDIATELY REACHED UP AND INITIATED THE ACFT INTO A RIGHT TURN. AT THE SAME TIME I SAID TO MY F/O, 'RIGHT TURN, NOW!' THE TWIN, A LIME GREEN SMT, PASSED BY OUR LEFT SIDE AT THE SAME ALT AT A HORIZ DISTANCE OF APPROX 400-600'. SMT Y APPARENTLY DID NOT SEE US UNTIL HE WAS RIGHT NEXT TO US, FOR HE MADE NO EVASIVE ACTION UNTIL THAT POINT, WHEN HE ALSO BANKED HARD RIGHT. I THEN INFORMED MFR APCH THAT WE HAD TAKEN EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID SMT Y. HAD NO ACTION BEEN TAKEN, A COLLISION WOULD HAVE RESULTED. SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTED HERE. THE FRONTAL VIEW OF A SMT IS VERY THIN AND HARD TO SEE. SMT Y WAS ALSO NOT SHOWING ANY LNDG, RECOGNITION OR STROBE LIGHTS. THIS PARTICULAR SMT Y WAS LIME GREEN AND BLENDED IN VERY WELL WITH THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN. MEDFORD, OR, SITS IN A DEEP VALLEY WITH A LOT OF AIR TFC, ESPECIALLY N AND S. THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR HERE IS THAT MFR HAS NO RADAR! RADAR IS SCHEDULED TO BE INSTALLED IN 1991. LET'S CONTINUE TO HOPE THAT MANUAL APCH CTL AND THAT SEE AND AVOID PREVENTS AN ACCIDENT UNTIL 1991! LET'S USE SOME OF THE TRUST FUND MONEY TO HELP FIX THESE PROBS!

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.