Narrative:

En route from phoenix, az, to palm springs, ca, approximately 10-15 NM from the airport, we were cleared for a visual approach to runway 30 at palm springs regional airport. Shortly after, while descending through 6500 MSL, we saw the single engine high wing small aircraft move from our 9 O'clock to 8 O'clock position and pass approximately 200 ft below and behind our aircraft (lateral distance approximately 1/8 mi). There were scattered clouds from our 10 O'clock to 7 O'clock position at 3000-6000 MSL. The airport was at our 12-1 O'clock position and we were 3/4 mi lateral distance from the clouds. No traffic warning was given by approach control. When queried, we were switched to tower. After a telephone call and lengthy discussion with approach control (who had reviewed their tapes) it was determined that no radar identify had been made on the other aircraft. It was our conclusion that the small aircraft departed a nearby uncontrolled airport (bermuda dunes or thermal) VFR and did not maintain required cloud separation. This fact along with the archaic and inadequate radar capabilities of psp approach likely caused this near miss that several of our passenger were concerned about. Due to the position and speed of our aircraft and the 'last second' visual identify with the other aircraft, no evasive maneuvering was made.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH UNKNOWN VFR TFC IN AREA.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM PHOENIX, AZ, TO PALM SPRINGS, CA, APPROX 10-15 NM FROM THE ARPT, WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 30 AT PALM SPRINGS REGIONAL ARPT. SHORTLY AFTER, WHILE DSNDING THROUGH 6500 MSL, WE SAW THE SINGLE ENG HIGH WING SMA MOVE FROM OUR 9 O'CLOCK TO 8 O'CLOCK POS AND PASS APPROX 200 FT BELOW AND BEHIND OUR ACFT (LATERAL DISTANCE APPROX 1/8 MI). THERE WERE SCATTERED CLOUDS FROM OUR 10 O'CLOCK TO 7 O'CLOCK POS AT 3000-6000 MSL. THE ARPT WAS AT OUR 12-1 O'CLOCK POS AND WE WERE 3/4 MI LATERAL DISTANCE FROM THE CLOUDS. NO TFC WARNING WAS GIVEN BY APCH CTL. WHEN QUERIED, WE WERE SWITCHED TO TWR. AFTER A TELEPHONE CALL AND LENGTHY DISCUSSION WITH APCH CTL (WHO HAD REVIEWED THEIR TAPES) IT WAS DETERMINED THAT NO RADAR IDENT HAD BEEN MADE ON THE OTHER ACFT. IT WAS OUR CONCLUSION THAT THE SMA DEPARTED A NEARBY UNCTLED ARPT (BERMUDA DUNES OR THERMAL) VFR AND DID NOT MAINTAIN REQUIRED CLOUD SEPARATION. THIS FACT ALONG WITH THE ARCHAIC AND INADEQUATE RADAR CAPABILITIES OF PSP APCH LIKELY CAUSED THIS NEAR MISS THAT SEVERAL OF OUR PAX WERE CONCERNED ABOUT. DUE TO THE POS AND SPD OF OUR ACFT AND THE 'LAST SECOND' VISUAL IDENT WITH THE OTHER ACFT, NO EVASIVE MANEUVERING WAS MADE.

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.