Close proximity commuter-light transport GA-small aircraft near sli VOR.

Attributes
ACN	198286
Time
Date	199201
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sli airport : sna
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sna
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	198286
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	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Crossed sli at 4000 ft, vectors to visual 19R at sna. New heading 090 degree, 'field in sight' and cleared for a 'visual 19R.' moderate radio congestion. To complete checklist, first officer left communication #1. I continued descent to clear clouds (broken layer at 3300 ft) above. Then spotted an small aircraft at 1 O'clock at 1/4 NM traveling north at 3000 ft. Small aircraft maintain course and altitude, I pushed nose down to clear under by 150 ft. Ask coast if they saw traffic. Response was 'just coming up now. Was over radar site which has a 2 NM radius blind spot!' called coast by phone from sna and reported near midair collision. Was informed that the radar site was 5 NM north of my position! As I recall, there were 2 controllers working the frequency at the time. Was 1 a trainee? With all the computer ability at TRACON, why can't a different radar site (el toro?) cover that small (6 square mi) area above the sli radar site and eliminate the blind spot in what has to be the densest traffic area around! Copy of this report to company and alpa to request review of radar tape.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX COMMUTER-LTT GA-SMA NEAR SLI VOR.

Narrative: CROSSED SLI AT 4000 FT, VECTORS TO VISUAL 19R AT SNA. NEW HDG 090 DEG, 'FIELD IN SIGHT' AND CLRED FOR A 'VISUAL 19R.' MODERATE RADIO CONGESTION. TO COMPLETE CHKLIST, FO LEFT COM #1. I CONTINUED DSCNT TO CLR CLOUDS (BROKEN LAYER AT 3300 FT) ABOVE. THEN SPOTTED AN SMA AT 1 O'CLOCK AT 1/4 NM TRAVELING N AT 3000 FT. SMA MAINTAIN COURSE AND ALT, I PUSHED NOSE DOWN TO CLR UNDER BY 150 FT. ASK COAST IF THEY SAW TFC. RESPONSE WAS 'JUST COMING UP NOW. WAS OVER RADAR SITE WHICH HAS A 2 NM RADIUS BLIND SPOT!' CALLED COAST BY PHONE FROM SNA AND RPTED NMAC. WAS INFORMED THAT THE RADAR SITE WAS 5 NM N OF MY POS! AS I RECALL, THERE WERE 2 CTLRS WORKING THE FREQ AT THE TIME. WAS 1 A TRAINEE? WITH ALL THE COMPUTER ABILITY AT TRACON, WHY CAN'T A DIFFERENT RADAR SITE (EL TORO?) COVER THAT SMALL (6 SQUARE MI) AREA ABOVE THE SLI RADAR SITE AND ELIMINATE THE BLIND SPOT IN WHAT HAS TO BE THE DENSEST TFC AREA AROUND! COPY OF THIS RPT TO COMPANY AND ALPA TO REQUEST REVIEW OF RADAR TAPE.

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.