An air carrier and an small aircraft had an near midair collision in VMC.

Attributes
ACN	272535
Time
Date	199405
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : buj
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : eri
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : dfw
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	272535
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac 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 : 100 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First indication of the conflict came from TCASII as a TA. Both pilots spotted the small single engine-fixed gear plane (using TCASII as a reference) at the same time captain (flying) disconnected autoplt and stopped the descent and began a climb to the right (we were cleared to 5000 ft by approach). The light plane seemed to spot us and also turned right (he was slightly below at our 10 O'clock when we first spotted him). The maneuver was not violent. But the light plane passed below 400 ft and just behind 200 ft the path of our md-88. Approach control was notified as they apparently were not aware of the smaller plane. Had TCASII not alerted the crew during this busy phase of the arrival, the incident would have been a lot closer or worse. The small (piper cherokee-like) plane was white and difficult to see. Upon deplaning a passenger commented 'nice miss!'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR AND AN SMA HAD AN NMAC IN VMC.

Narrative: FIRST INDICATION OF THE CONFLICT CAME FROM TCASII AS A TA. BOTH PLTS SPOTTED THE SMALL SINGLE ENG-FIXED GEAR PLANE (USING TCASII AS A REF) AT THE SAME TIME CAPT (FLYING) DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND STOPPED THE DSCNT AND BEGAN A CLB TO THE R (WE WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT BY APCH). THE LIGHT PLANE SEEMED TO SPOT US AND ALSO TURNED R (HE WAS SLIGHTLY BELOW AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK WHEN WE FIRST SPOTTED HIM). THE MANEUVER WAS NOT VIOLENT. BUT THE LIGHT PLANE PASSED BELOW 400 FT AND JUST BEHIND 200 FT THE PATH OF OUR MD-88. APCH CTL WAS NOTIFIED AS THEY APPARENTLY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE SMALLER PLANE. HAD TCASII NOT ALERTED THE CREW DURING THIS BUSY PHASE OF THE ARR, THE INCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT CLOSER OR WORSE. THE SMALL (PIPER CHEROKEE-LIKE) PLANE WAS WHITE AND DIFFICULT TO SEE. UPON DEPLANING A PAX COMMENTED 'NICE MISS!'

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.