MD80 crew experienced an near midair collision with cessna during descent from 8;000 to 6;000 ft. RA...

Narrative:

[We were] in radio contact with approach. Cleared by ATC from 8;000 ft to 6;000 ft. Descending out of 7;200 ft; I (pilot not flying) noticed on TCAS an aircraft 600 ft below our aircraft; at our 11 o'clock; 3 miles away; moving toward our path of descent. No TA had been received. I alerted the captain to this aircraft and we immediately received a RA. The captain reacted immediately and followed the proper RA advisory. ATC alerted us to the intruder as we were performing the RA. I informed ATC we were following a RA. I then informed the captain of our height above the intruder. Descent was arrested and climb began when TCAS showed intruder passing 200 ft directly below us. No visual contact was made. RA ended as we climbed through 7;400 ft. Advised ATC that we had followed a RA and were now descending back to 6;000 ft. I stated to ATC that at 6;800 ft the separation was only 200 ft. ATC stated that 6;600 ft for the intruder aircraft checked. Deplaning passenger made comment 'pretty close call to that cessna'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 crew experienced an NMAC with Cessna during descent from 8;000 to 6;000 FT. RA to descend was apparently received at 7;200 with the Cessna 600 FT below and the descent arrested at 6;800 FT with the Cessna passing 200 FT directly below.

Narrative: [We were] in radio contact with Approach. Cleared by ATC from 8;000 FT to 6;000 FT. Descending out of 7;200 FT; I (pilot not flying) noticed on TCAS an aircraft 600 FT below our aircraft; at our 11 o'clock; 3 miles away; moving toward our path of descent. No TA had been received. I alerted the Captain to this aircraft and we immediately received a RA. The Captain reacted immediately and followed the proper RA advisory. ATC alerted us to the intruder as we were performing the RA. I informed ATC we were following a RA. I then informed the Captain of our height above the intruder. Descent was arrested and climb began when TCAS showed intruder passing 200 FT directly below us. No visual contact was made. RA ended as we climbed through 7;400 FT. Advised ATC that we had followed a RA and were now descending back to 6;000 FT. I stated to ATC that at 6;800 FT the separation was only 200 FT. ATC stated that 6;600 FT for the intruder aircraft checked. Deplaning passenger made comment 'pretty close call to that Cessna'.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	934566
Time
Date	201102
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.TRACON
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Cessna Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying First Officer
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Horizontal 0 Vertical 200

MD80 crew experienced an near midair collision with cessna during descent from 8;000 to 6;000 ft. RA to descend was apparently received at 7;200 with the cessna 600 ft below and the descent arrested at 6;800 ft with the cessna passing 200 ft directly below.