Narrative:

We were on a 230 degree bearing to drake VOR at 17 DME descending out of 7000 to 3500, approaching fayetteville terminal area. Conditions were night, IFR, IMC, and just handed off from memphis center to fyv approach (tower). Fyv cleared us down to 3500, and when approaching 3800 we saw a target approaching us on TCASII and initiated an evasive climb maneuver. The target was also climbing at a good rate and we believe he came to within 100 ft below us, with no lateral separation as indicated on TCASII. Evasive maneuver was initiated at 900 ft vertical separation as indicated on TCASII. The target appeared to be VFR, high performance, and a departure from springdale, ak, again as indicated by the direction and perceived performance as indicated on TCASII. We leveled our climb maneuver at 4500 ft, and continued normally to fyv with no reported problems from ATC, passenger cabin, and cockpit. This was obviously a VFR pilot violating protected IFR airspace in IMC conditions, and we were still on an IFR flight plan in this airspace. This was very close, and is a potential problem in uncontrolled/non-radar airspace, close proximity airfields, and increasing far 135 and 121 traffic in the area.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ON DSCNT HAS NMAC WITH SECOND ACFT. TCASII RA.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A 230 DEG BEARING TO DRAKE VOR AT 17 DME DSNDING OUT OF 7000 TO 3500, APCHING FAYETTEVILLE TERMINAL AREA. CONDITIONS WERE NIGHT, IFR, IMC, AND JUST HANDED OFF FROM MEMPHIS CTR TO FYV APCH (TWR). FYV CLRED US DOWN TO 3500, AND WHEN APCHING 3800 WE SAW A TARGET APCHING US ON TCASII AND INITIATED AN EVASIVE CLB MANEUVER. THE TARGET WAS ALSO CLBING AT A GOOD RATE AND WE BELIEVE HE CAME TO WITHIN 100 FT BELOW US, WITH NO LATERAL SEPARATION AS INDICATED ON TCASII. EVASIVE MANEUVER WAS INITIATED AT 900 FT VERT SEPARATION AS INDICATED ON TCASII. THE TARGET APPEARED TO BE VFR, HIGH PERFORMANCE, AND A DEP FROM SPRINGDALE, AK, AGAIN AS INDICATED BY THE DIRECTION AND PERCEIVED PERFORMANCE AS INDICATED ON TCASII. WE LEVELED OUR CLB MANEUVER AT 4500 FT, AND CONTINUED NORMALLY TO FYV WITH NO RPTED PROBLEMS FROM ATC, PAX CABIN, AND COCKPIT. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A VFR PLT VIOLATING PROTECTED IFR AIRSPACE IN IMC CONDITIONS, AND WE WERE STILL ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN THIS AIRSPACE. THIS WAS VERY CLOSE, AND IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM IN UNCTLED/NON-RADAR AIRSPACE, CLOSE PROX AIRFIELDS, AND INCREASING FAR 135 AND 121 TFC IN THE AREA.

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.