Narrative:

On arrival to rdu we were vectored off of the STAR because of an arrival emergency in progress. After several vectored turns we were advised of traffic in our 12 O'clock position. The captain advised that because of hazy conditions, the traffic would be difficult to see. A turn was given presumably to avoid any conflict. We were given a 270 degree right turn and a descent to 3000' 20 mi from the airport. The new heading would allow us to intercept the ILS/DME 23R approach at rdu. At near roll-out at 3000' and 18 DME (well outside the arsa) the captain spotted the traffic--a glider under tow by a single engine small aircraft. I spotted the traffic almost simultaneously and initiated a descending left hand turn to avoid the conflict. The small aircraft was just initiating a left hand release turn at the same moment coming to within less than 1/4 mi and near same altitude. It was close enough where I was concerned he would hit the tail of our airplane. A near miss was reported and appropriate paperwork filed. ATC really should not have vectored us into an area of known traffic, especially at such a low altitude so far from the runway, particularly outside the arsa. The conflicting traffic was, in my judgement, on or near the extended centerline of 23R. Local ATC and the glider operator need to establish an area away from arrival and departure corridors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-MLG GA-GLIDER TOW OPERATION NORTHEAST OF RDU.

Narrative: ON ARR TO RDU WE WERE VECTORED OFF OF THE STAR BECAUSE OF AN ARR EMER IN PROGRESS. AFTER SEVERAL VECTORED TURNS WE WERE ADVISED OF TFC IN OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS. THE CAPT ADVISED THAT BECAUSE OF HAZY CONDITIONS, THE TFC WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SEE. A TURN WAS GIVEN PRESUMABLY TO AVOID ANY CONFLICT. WE WERE GIVEN A 270 DEG RIGHT TURN AND A DSCNT TO 3000' 20 MI FROM THE ARPT. THE NEW HDG WOULD ALLOW US TO INTERCEPT THE ILS/DME 23R APCH AT RDU. AT NEAR ROLL-OUT AT 3000' AND 18 DME (WELL OUTSIDE THE ARSA) THE CAPT SPOTTED THE TFC--A GLIDER UNDER TOW BY A SINGLE ENG SMA. I SPOTTED THE TFC ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY AND INITIATED A DSNDING LEFT HAND TURN TO AVOID THE CONFLICT. THE SMA WAS JUST INITIATING A LEFT HAND RELEASE TURN AT THE SAME MOMENT COMING TO WITHIN LESS THAN 1/4 MI AND NEAR SAME ALT. IT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH WHERE I WAS CONCERNED HE WOULD HIT THE TAIL OF OUR AIRPLANE. A NEAR MISS WAS RPTED AND APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK FILED. ATC REALLY SHOULD NOT HAVE VECTORED US INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN TFC, ESPECIALLY AT SUCH A LOW ALT SO FAR FROM THE RWY, PARTICULARLY OUTSIDE THE ARSA. THE CONFLICTING TFC WAS, IN MY JUDGEMENT, ON OR NEAR THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF 23R. LCL ATC AND THE GLIDER OPERATOR NEED TO ESTABLISH AN AREA AWAY FROM ARR AND DEP CORRIDORS.

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.