Evasive action taken to avoid small aircraft operating in the TCA without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	94807
Time
Date	198809
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2800 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	94807
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 600 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Maintaining 3000 MSL and heading of 070 degree IAS 180 KT. Approach advised of traffic ahead wbound, unknown altitude (had previously been estimated at 2500'). Approach cleared us to maintain 2000 turn right to 90 degree and called traffic at 12 O'clock and less than 1 mi. As we were in the turn and descent, we saw the aircraft, (a high wing small aircraft) directly ahead. We increased bank and descent rate to make sure we missed him. Aircraft passed above and to our left. We had all external lights on when this occurred. It was reported by land line to lga approach and the ny FSDO. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. A tag was put on the small aircraft but it dropped off before identify could be made. No information from FSDO. Sure the aircraft was in the TCA west/O clearance. Altitude was estimated from a report made of the traffic by another air carrier. No transponder was apparently in use.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN TO AVOID SMA OPERATING IN THE TCA WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: MAINTAINING 3000 MSL AND HDG OF 070 DEG IAS 180 KT. APCH ADVISED OF TFC AHEAD WBOUND, UNKNOWN ALT (HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ESTIMATED AT 2500'). APCH CLRED US TO MAINTAIN 2000 TURN R TO 90 DEG AND CALLED TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK AND LESS THAN 1 MI. AS WE WERE IN THE TURN AND DSCNT, WE SAW THE ACFT, (A HIGH WING SMA) DIRECTLY AHEAD. WE INCREASED BANK AND DSCNT RATE TO MAKE SURE WE MISSED HIM. ACFT PASSED ABOVE AND TO OUR L. WE HAD ALL EXTERNAL LIGHTS ON WHEN THIS OCCURRED. IT WAS RPTED BY LAND LINE TO LGA APCH AND THE NY FSDO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. A TAG WAS PUT ON THE SMA BUT IT DROPPED OFF BEFORE IDENT COULD BE MADE. NO INFO FROM FSDO. SURE THE ACFT WAS IN THE TCA W/O CLRNC. ALT WAS ESTIMATED FROM A RPT MADE OF THE TFC BY ANOTHER ACR. NO TRANSPONDER WAS APPARENTLY IN USE.

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.