Air carrier cleared for approach sights traffic 1 O'clock as they start descent. Quickly level off t...

Attributes
ACN	200208
Time
Date	199201
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bur
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4700 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bur
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
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 : 150 flight time total : 18900 flight time type : 7200
ASRS Report	200208
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

We were on a vector for the ILS 8 approach at burbank airport. Our next instruction was 'cleared for the approach turn left to a heading of 110 degrees maintain 5000 ft until joining the localizer'. After joining the localizer and intercepting the GS, we started our descent. Within seconds we noticed an aircraft below us at our 1 O'clock position northbound. We started a level off just as approach said 'maintain 5000 ft traffic, an small transport, at 12 O'clock, 1 mi at 4000 ft'. Our descent was stopped at 4700 ft. Was it readback/hearback? Or was it controller error? I don't know! I believe the controller was working three positions at once, ground, tower and approach control. Also, there is the possibility that by mutual agreement we (the pilots) cleared ourselves for the approach. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states when the flight crew called after landing, they were told the controller 'screwed up' and forgot the other aircraft. No problem for flight crew.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CLRED FOR APCH SIGHTS TFC 1 O'CLOCK AS THEY START DSCNT. QUICKLY LEVEL OFF THE AVOID.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A VECTOR FOR THE ILS 8 APCH AT BURBANK ARPT. OUR NEXT INSTRUCTION WAS 'CLRED FOR THE APCH TURN L TO A HDG OF 110 DEGS MAINTAIN 5000 FT UNTIL JOINING THE LOC'. AFTER JOINING THE LOC AND INTERCEPTING THE GS, WE STARTED OUR DSCNT. WITHIN SECONDS WE NOTICED AN ACFT BELOW US AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS NBOUND. WE STARTED A LEVEL OFF JUST AS APCH SAID 'MAINTAIN 5000 FT TFC, AN SMT, AT 12 O'CLOCK, 1 MI AT 4000 FT'. OUR DSCNT WAS STOPPED AT 4700 FT. WAS IT READBACK/HEARBACK? OR WAS IT CTLR ERROR? I DON'T KNOW! I BELIEVE THE CTLR WAS WORKING THREE POSITIONS AT ONCE, GND, TWR AND APCH CTL. ALSO, THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT BY MUTUAL AGREEMENT WE (THE PLTS) CLRED OURSELVES FOR THE APCH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES WHEN THE FLC CALLED AFTER LNDG, THEY WERE TOLD THE CTLR 'SCREWED UP' AND FORGOT THE OTHER ACFT. NO PROBLEM FOR FLC.

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 cleared for approach sights traffic 1 O'clock as they start descent. Quickly level off the avoid.