Small transport enroute at 3500' MSL had near midair collision with glider in vicinity of glider-por...

Attributes
ACN	121153
Time
Date	198908
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nh29
State Reference	NH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bos
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 4700 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	121153
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight departed bos, planned to stay under IFR. Our route passes directly overhead the salem, nh, glider-port. We knew the gliders were out, but we had no idea where. Obviously approach can do very little, since they do not show up on radar. As my first officer initiated a descent into mnt (leaving 4000'), I looked out my side window for traffic. When I looked forward I saw we were descending head-on into a glider. I grabbed my yoke and leveled us off briefly and it passed underneath us. The gliders have as much right to be there, as we do which makes the situation very frustrating, considering some days I must fly over their field as many as 4 times. I am sure this is not the first time this has happened; I just hope it will be the last.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ENROUTE AT 3500' MSL HAD NMAC WITH GLIDER IN VICINITY OF GLIDER-PORT.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTED BOS, PLANNED TO STAY UNDER IFR. OUR ROUTE PASSES DIRECTLY OVERHEAD THE SALEM, NH, GLIDER-PORT. WE KNEW THE GLIDERS WERE OUT, BUT WE HAD NO IDEA WHERE. OBVIOUSLY APCH CAN DO VERY LITTLE, SINCE THEY DO NOT SHOW UP ON RADAR. AS MY F/O INITIATED A DSCNT INTO MNT (LEAVING 4000'), I LOOKED OUT MY SIDE WINDOW FOR TFC. WHEN I LOOKED FORWARD I SAW WE WERE DSNDING HEAD-ON INTO A GLIDER. I GRABBED MY YOKE AND LEVELED US OFF BRIEFLY AND IT PASSED UNDERNEATH US. THE GLIDERS HAVE AS MUCH RIGHT TO BE THERE, AS WE DO WHICH MAKES THE SITUATION VERY FRUSTRATING, CONSIDERING SOME DAYS I MUST FLY OVER THEIR FIELD AS MANY AS 4 TIMES. I AM SURE THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED; I JUST HOPE IT WILL BE THE LAST.

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.

Small transport enroute at 3500' MSL had near midair collision with glider in vicinity of glider-port.