Narrative:

As we descended, traffic was pointed out to us approximately 6-7 mi distant. The PF reported the traffic in sight and when this was relayed to the controller, 'maintain visual separation' was ordered. No further word was mentioned concerning the traffic. I'm not sure if my other pilot lost sight of the traffic or was perhaps watching different traffic, but when we finally caught sight of the actual traffic in question it was clear that our approach would be closer than either of us would have planned on. We arrested our descent a bit and passed over the top of the other aircraft. I'm not sure when the other traffic saw us, but he did come up on the frequency reporting a 'near miss.' the bottom line, I feel, has enough blame to spread around to all involved. I know I was a bit complacent since my copilot acknowledged sight of the traffic and in the future we will confirm traffic and both track it. I feel the controller's complacency showed not only in his initial clearance to us into the TCA but also that as we converged with this traffic no additional attempts were made to confirm we still had it in sight. There were many targets out there that night and ours was low and blending in with the lights of long island. The crew of the other aircraft, a commuter airliner, didn't do much to avoid us so I can only assume that either they didn't see us descending or felt that we would remain clear of them and therefore no action was necessary. In any case, everyone was legal, but no one was happy. Complacency is a constant battle for all involved in this business, and it can kill you. I hope to improve what I feel are already good habits and procedures in our cockpit.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR JET HAS NMAC ON DSCNT TO ARPT WITHIN TCA.

Narrative: AS WE DSNDED, TFC WAS POINTED OUT TO US APPROX 6-7 MI DISTANT. THE PF RPTED THE TFC IN SIGHT AND WHEN THIS WAS RELAYED TO THE CTLR, 'MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION' WAS ORDERED. NO FURTHER WORD WAS MENTIONED CONCERNING THE TFC. I'M NOT SURE IF MY OTHER PLT LOST SIGHT OF THE TFC OR WAS PERHAPS WATCHING DIFFERENT TFC, BUT WHEN WE FINALLY CAUGHT SIGHT OF THE ACTUAL TFC IN QUESTION IT WAS CLR THAT OUR APCH WOULD BE CLOSER THAN EITHER OF US WOULD HAVE PLANNED ON. WE ARRESTED OUR DSCNT A BIT AND PASSED OVER THE TOP OF THE OTHER ACFT. I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE OTHER TFC SAW US, BUT HE DID COME UP ON THE FREQ RPTING A 'NEAR MISS.' THE BOTTOM LINE, I FEEL, HAS ENOUGH BLAME TO SPREAD AROUND TO ALL INVOLVED. I KNOW I WAS A BIT COMPLACENT SINCE MY COPLT ACKNOWLEDGED SIGHT OF THE TFC AND IN THE FUTURE WE WILL CONFIRM TFC AND BOTH TRACK IT. I FEEL THE CTLR'S COMPLACENCY SHOWED NOT ONLY IN HIS INITIAL CLRNC TO US INTO THE TCA BUT ALSO THAT AS WE CONVERGED WITH THIS TFC NO ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO CONFIRM WE STILL HAD IT IN SIGHT. THERE WERE MANY TARGETS OUT THERE THAT NIGHT AND OURS WAS LOW AND BLENDING IN WITH THE LIGHTS OF LONG ISLAND. THE CREW OF THE OTHER ACFT, A COMMUTER AIRLINER, DIDN'T DO MUCH TO AVOID US SO I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT EITHER THEY DIDN'T SEE US DSNDING OR FELT THAT WE WOULD REMAIN CLR OF THEM AND THEREFORE NO ACTION WAS NECESSARY. IN ANY CASE, EVERYONE WAS LEGAL, BUT NO ONE WAS HAPPY. COMPLACENCY IS A CONSTANT BATTLE FOR ALL INVOLVED IN THIS BUSINESS, AND IT CAN KILL YOU. I HOPE TO IMPROVE WHAT I FEEL ARE ALREADY GOOD HABITS AND PROCS IN OUR COCKPIT.

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.