Air carrier first officer complains of approach controller technique ATC in separation criterion on ...

Attributes
ACN	234740
Time
Date	199302
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bhm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bhm
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 7600 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	234740
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2500 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ZTL turned us over to bhm approach control approximately 30 NM northwest of bhm airport. Bhm approach told us to fly vectored headings to bhm airport, and expect a visual approach to runway 5. When established on an extended left base leg to runway 5 bhm issued traffic. The controller's traffic was an small transport twin on a left downwind to runway 5 at 2500 ft. Our flight was at 3000 ft MSL. The small transport Y reported our flight in sight and was told to follow us to airport. Approximately 3 mi north of the extended centerline of runway 5, our flight received a TA from onboard TCASII soon followed by an RA to 'climb.' our flight climbed out of 3000 ft to approximately 3500 ft and reported the event to bhm. The controller acknowledged the altitude deviation, asked if we had the runway and cleared us for a visual approach. Our flight landed at bhm with no further incidents. The controller should have vectored either the small transport or us away from each other. We never saw the traffic. Radar controllers should never allow targets to merge with only 500 ft vertical separations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FO COMPLAINS OF APCH CTLR TECHNIQUE ATC IN SEPARATION CRITERION ON A VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: ZTL TURNED US OVER TO BHM APCH CTL APPROX 30 NM NW OF BHM ARPT. BHM APCH TOLD US TO FLY VECTORED HDGS TO BHM ARPT, AND EXPECT A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 5. WHEN ESTABLISHED ON AN EXTENDED L BASE LEG TO RWY 5 BHM ISSUED TFC. THE CTLR'S TFC WAS AN SMT TWIN ON A L DOWNWIND TO RWY 5 AT 2500 FT. OUR FLT WAS AT 3000 FT MSL. THE SMT Y RPTED OUR FLT IN SIGHT AND WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW US TO ARPT. APPROX 3 MI N OF THE EXTENDED CTRLINE OF RWY 5, OUR FLT RECEIVED A TA FROM ONBOARD TCASII SOON FOLLOWED BY AN RA TO 'CLB.' OUR FLT CLBED OUT OF 3000 FT TO APPROX 3500 FT AND RPTED THE EVENT TO BHM. THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED THE ALTDEV, ASKED IF WE HAD THE RWY AND CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH. OUR FLT LANDED AT BHM WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS. THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE VECTORED EITHER THE SMT OR US AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. WE NEVER SAW THE TFC. RADAR CTLRS SHOULD NEVER ALLOW TARGETS TO MERGE WITH ONLY 500 FT VERT SEPARATIONS.

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 first officer complains of approach controller technique ATC in separation criterion on a visual approach.