Air carrier X had airborne conflict with small aircraft Y on final approach to sjc airport. See and ...

Attributes
ACN	189959
Time
Date	199108
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sjc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	189959
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 700 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier X on final to sjc at night. Tower advised small aircraft Y traffic to runway 30R had us in sight (on separate tower frequency). Did not see small aircraft Y until TCASII gave TA (our company has us select 'TA only' below 2000 ft or this would have been an RA). At this time we saw small aircraft Y at our 12:30 position about 700 ft ahead. We overtook him quite rapidly. This is a dangerous situation. Specifically, on the fact that the small aircraft Y had us in sight prior to his turning final. When he turned final, there was no way he could keep us in sight. Subsequently, we rapidly overtook him, having never reported him in sight. If we had been only slightly right of course, a collision would have occurred. This procedure, if correct, needs to be changed. A controller should never base separation on an airplane which cannot possibly keep the other in sight (overtaking).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD AIRBORNE CONFLICT WITH SMA Y ON FINAL APCH TO SJC ARPT. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT.

Narrative: ACR X ON FINAL TO SJC AT NIGHT. TWR ADVISED SMA Y TFC TO RWY 30R HAD US IN SIGHT (ON SEPARATE TWR FREQ). DID NOT SEE SMA Y UNTIL TCASII GAVE TA (OUR COMPANY HAS US SELECT 'TA ONLY' BELOW 2000 FT OR THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN AN RA). AT THIS TIME WE SAW SMA Y AT OUR 12:30 POS ABOUT 700 FT AHEAD. WE OVERTOOK HIM QUITE RAPIDLY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. SPECIFICALLY, ON THE FACT THAT THE SMA Y HAD US IN SIGHT PRIOR TO HIS TURNING FINAL. WHEN HE TURNED FINAL, THERE WAS NO WAY HE COULD KEEP US IN SIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE RAPIDLY OVERTOOK HIM, HAVING NEVER RPTED HIM IN SIGHT. IF WE HAD BEEN ONLY SLIGHTLY R OF COURSE, A COLLISION WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THIS PROC, IF CORRECT, NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. A CTLR SHOULD NEVER BASE SEPARATION ON AN AIRPLANE WHICH CANNOT POSSIBLY KEEP THE OTHER IN SIGHT (OVERTAKING).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

Air carrier X had airborne conflict with small aircraft Y on final approach to sjc airport. See and avoid concept.