Narrative:

While inbound on J116, at 17000 ft over ffu VOR in a right turn toward kslc passing through about 280 degree heading with the autoplt engaged navigating by FMS, the TCASII TA alert sounded followed by the TCASII RA to descend. I disengaged the autoplt and initiated a 2500 FPM descent in compliance with the TCASII RA. At 16300 ft the first officer and so called the traffic directly in front of us. It was a twin engine aircraft and he appeared to be in a steep turn to the right and descending at a steep angle as if he were taking some evasive action. I immediately stopped our descent and initiated a climb back to 17000 ft. The other aircraft passed by our left side at a distance of about 500 ft and the TCASII indicated he was 100 ft below our altitude. We were never advised of any traffic by approach control but, while complying with the TCASII RA alert, we all thought we heard approach control tell another aircraft to descend. When on the ground in slc, I called approach control and talked with a mr. X. He said the other aircraft was a jump flight out of cedar valley airport circling VFR at 16500 ft and had said he would like to climb to 17500 ft. At the time of the TCASII RA alert the other aircraft was at 16800 ft. I asked why we were not advised of the traffic or given the usual 340 degree heading prior to the ffu VOR and he said it was probably because a new controller was being trained.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON APCH HAS NMAC WITH JUMP PLANE.

Narrative: WHILE INBOUND ON J116, AT 17000 FT OVER FFU VOR IN A R TURN TOWARD KSLC PASSING THROUGH ABOUT 280 DEG HDG WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED NAVING BY FMS, THE TCASII TA ALERT SOUNDED FOLLOWED BY THE TCASII RA TO DSND. I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND INITIATED A 2500 FPM DSCNT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TCASII RA. AT 16300 FT THE FO AND SO CALLED THE TFC DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US. IT WAS A TWIN ENG ACFT AND HE APPEARED TO BE IN A STEEP TURN TO THE R AND DSNDING AT A STEEP ANGLE AS IF HE WERE TAKING SOME EVASIVE ACTION. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED OUR DSCNT AND INITIATED A CLB BACK TO 17000 FT. THE OTHER ACFT PASSED BY OUR L SIDE AT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 500 FT AND THE TCASII INDICATED HE WAS 100 FT BELOW OUR ALT. WE WERE NEVER ADVISED OF ANY TFC BY APCH CTL BUT, WHILE COMPLYING WITH THE TCASII RA ALERT, WE ALL THOUGHT WE HEARD APCH CTL TELL ANOTHER ACFT TO DSND. WHEN ON THE GND IN SLC, I CALLED APCH CTL AND TALKED WITH A MR. X. HE SAID THE OTHER ACFT WAS A JUMP FLT OUT OF CEDAR VALLEY ARPT CIRCLING VFR AT 16500 FT AND HAD SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO CLB TO 17500 FT. AT THE TIME OF THE TCASII RA ALERT THE OTHER ACFT WAS AT 16800 FT. I ASKED WHY WE WERE NOT ADVISED OF THE TFC OR GIVEN THE USUAL 340 DEG HDG PRIOR TO THE FFU VOR AND HE SAID IT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE A NEW CTLR WAS BEING TRAINED.

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.