Narrative:

On visual approach to dfw cleared to 4000'. Approach called traffic 11-10 O'clock, swbnd, altitude unknown. Both pilots searched for traffic. First officer suddenly observed traffic in captain's blind spot and initiated hard right turn to avoid midair. Aircraft was older small transport, orange at approximately our altitude. The problem is the low altitude arrs assigned to commuter traffic at dfw. If approach would utilize a system similar to atl with high altitude arrs for high performance turboprops, airline safety could be better maintained. Low altitude departures and arrs for turboprops, keeping turbines at the base of or below the TCA with local training flts is not an acceptable procedure, in my opinion. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter was on the boids STAR and had been cleared to 4000', which is right at the base of the TCA. Had discussed the problem with chief pilot but was advised nothing could be done. All aircraft operating legally, strictly see and avoid. Has found departure controller are now clearing departures to a higher altitude sooner, versus staying low for 40-50 mi and feels they are becoming aware of the performance capabilities of the aircraft. Is going to bring it up to the chief pilot again. Advised could go through the hot line, but was reluctant to go that route.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT WHILE ON VISUAL APCH TO DFW.

Narrative: ON VISUAL APCH TO DFW CLRED TO 4000'. APCH CALLED TFC 11-10 O'CLOCK, SWBND, ALT UNKNOWN. BOTH PLTS SEARCHED FOR TFC. F/O SUDDENLY OBSERVED TFC IN CAPT'S BLIND SPOT AND INITIATED HARD RIGHT TURN TO AVOID MIDAIR. ACFT WAS OLDER SMT, ORANGE AT APPROX OUR ALT. THE PROB IS THE LOW ALT ARRS ASSIGNED TO COMMUTER TFC AT DFW. IF APCH WOULD UTILIZE A SYS SIMILAR TO ATL WITH HIGH ALT ARRS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE TURBOPROPS, AIRLINE SAFETY COULD BE BETTER MAINTAINED. LOW ALT DEPS AND ARRS FOR TURBOPROPS, KEEPING TURBINES AT THE BASE OF OR BELOW THE TCA WITH LCL TRNING FLTS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE PROC, IN MY OPINION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR WAS ON THE BOIDS STAR AND HAD BEEN CLRED TO 4000', WHICH IS RIGHT AT THE BASE OF THE TCA. HAD DISCUSSED THE PROB WITH CHIEF PLT BUT WAS ADVISED NOTHING COULD BE DONE. ALL ACFT OPERATING LEGALLY, STRICTLY SEE AND AVOID. HAS FOUND DEP CTLR ARE NOW CLRING DEPS TO A HIGHER ALT SOONER, VERSUS STAYING LOW FOR 40-50 MI AND FEELS THEY ARE BECOMING AWARE OF THE PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES OF THE ACFT. IS GOING TO BRING IT UP TO THE CHIEF PLT AGAIN. ADVISED COULD GO THROUGH THE HOT LINE, BUT WAS RELUCTANT TO GO THAT ROUTE.

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.