Close proximity air carrier-medium large transport GA-small aircraft south of abq.

Attributes
ACN	103296
Time
Date	198901
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abq
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 9600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abq artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10200
ASRS Report	103296
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Approaching abq VOR, 5 DME sse, approach said, 'stay at present altitude (10000') for VFR traffic 10 O'clock and at 9500', 5 mi.' we asked if we could turn toward airport. We had already called it in sight. Controller said, 'turn right 10 degrees. That will keep you clear of the traffic. Cleared visibility runway 08.' we turned right, descended for the visibility. I caught a glimpse of the small aircraft out of my left window as we descended directly into him. He came from 11 O'clock and passed directly under our belly with approximately 100' vertical sep. My evasive action was responsible for averting a certain collision. Spoke to controller on the phone. He never had a primary target and was going on last reported position by another controller. Freedom of travel for GA aircraft is one thing, but in the realities of today's ATC system, failure to separate types of traffic once and for all guarantees the inevitability of future loss of life.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-MLG GA-SMA SOUTH OF ABQ.

Narrative: APCHING ABQ VOR, 5 DME SSE, APCH SAID, 'STAY AT PRESENT ALT (10000') FOR VFR TFC 10 O'CLOCK AND AT 9500', 5 MI.' WE ASKED IF WE COULD TURN TOWARD ARPT. WE HAD ALREADY CALLED IT IN SIGHT. CTLR SAID, 'TURN RIGHT 10 DEGS. THAT WILL KEEP YOU CLR OF THE TFC. CLRED VIS RWY 08.' WE TURNED RIGHT, DSNDED FOR THE VIS. I CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF THE SMA OUT OF MY LEFT WINDOW AS WE DSNDED DIRECTLY INTO HIM. HE CAME FROM 11 O'CLOCK AND PASSED DIRECTLY UNDER OUR BELLY WITH APPROX 100' VERT SEP. MY EVASIVE ACTION WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR AVERTING A CERTAIN COLLISION. SPOKE TO CTLR ON THE PHONE. HE NEVER HAD A PRIMARY TARGET AND WAS GOING ON LAST RPTED POS BY ANOTHER CTLR. FREEDOM OF TRAVEL FOR GA ACFT IS ONE THING, BUT IN THE REALITIES OF TODAY'S ATC SYS, FAILURE TO SEPARATE TYPES OF TFC ONCE AND FOR ALL GUARANTEES THE INEVITABILITY OF FUTURE LOSS OF LIFE.

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.