Narrative:

As captain and PF, we had just received descent clearance from clt approach control to descend to 7000 ft (from 9000 ft) and turn to a heading of 110 degrees. Our position was runway 26 NM northwest of clt inbound on the shine 5 arrival and the vector was to position our flight in sequence with traffic to land on clt runway 18R. Passing 8400 ft descending, our TCASII issued a TA of an intruder at 12 O'clock and 600 ft below us. Both my first officer and I scanned outside but no contact. Immediately the TCASII issued a RA to climb -- climb -- climb, and the TCASII ivsi called for a position climb to more than 1500 FPM. I immediately complied and climbed until the ivsi was 'in the green' of the TCASII. At that moment, the first officer saw the intruder aircraft and said the climb that I had initiated was sufficient to miss the aircraft but not 'to descend -- he's right under us.' I told the first officer to notify ATC that we were complying with a TCASII RA and had climbed back to 9000 ft. ATC advised that he now observed the 'pop up' traffic at 8500 ft and in violation of class B airspace. ATC further advised that ZTL would be notified and try to track the intruder aircraft to it's landing to try to identify the pilot. I was also asked to call clt radar room with follow-up details. As PF and captain, I never saw the aircraft in question, but my first officer (visibly shaken) advised that the TCASII advisory 'saved us.' he told me that had I not reacted to the TCASII and continued along the flight path we were flying, a collision was certain. I called clt radar room and spoke with a supervisor who told me that he was filing a report (I have done the same with my carrier) and that ATC separation was never lost due to our following the TCASII TA/RA advisory. He further advised that he had no problem with the entire episode except that the intruder aircraft was in violation of his airspace without clearance. As I told my chief pilot, please pass along to the TCASII manufacturer community that their products are saving lives, and thank you!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. NON DETECTION OF NORAC TFC BY APCH CTL RADAR.

Narrative: AS CAPT AND PF, WE HAD JUST RECEIVED DSCNT CLRNC FROM CLT APCH CTL TO DSND TO 7000 FT (FROM 9000 FT) AND TURN TO A HDG OF 110 DEGS. OUR POS WAS RWY 26 NM NW OF CLT INBOUND ON THE SHINE 5 ARR AND THE VECTOR WAS TO POS OUR FLT IN SEQUENCE WITH TFC TO LAND ON CLT RWY 18R. PASSING 8400 FT DSNDING, OUR TCASII ISSUED A TA OF AN INTRUDER AT 12 O'CLOCK AND 600 FT BELOW US. BOTH MY FO AND I SCANNED OUTSIDE BUT NO CONTACT. IMMEDIATELY THE TCASII ISSUED A RA TO CLB -- CLB -- CLB, AND THE TCASII IVSI CALLED FOR A POS CLB TO MORE THAN 1500 FPM. I IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED AND CLBED UNTIL THE IVSI WAS 'IN THE GREEN' OF THE TCASII. AT THAT MOMENT, THE FO SAW THE INTRUDER ACFT AND SAID THE CLB THAT I HAD INITIATED WAS SUFFICIENT TO MISS THE ACFT BUT NOT 'TO DSND -- HE'S RIGHT UNDER US.' I TOLD THE FO TO NOTIFY ATC THAT WE WERE COMPLYING WITH A TCASII RA AND HAD CLBED BACK TO 9000 FT. ATC ADVISED THAT HE NOW OBSERVED THE 'POP UP' TFC AT 8500 FT AND IN VIOLATION OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. ATC FURTHER ADVISED THAT ZTL WOULD BE NOTIFIED AND TRY TO TRACK THE INTRUDER ACFT TO IT'S LNDG TO TRY TO IDENT THE PLT. I WAS ALSO ASKED TO CALL CLT RADAR ROOM WITH FOLLOW-UP DETAILS. AS PF AND CAPT, I NEVER SAW THE ACFT IN QUESTION, BUT MY FO (VISIBLY SHAKEN) ADVISED THAT THE TCASII ADVISORY 'SAVED US.' HE TOLD ME THAT HAD I NOT REACTED TO THE TCASII AND CONTINUED ALONG THE FLT PATH WE WERE FLYING, A COLLISION WAS CERTAIN. I CALLED CLT RADAR ROOM AND SPOKE WITH A SUPVR WHO TOLD ME THAT HE WAS FILING A RPT (I HAVE DONE THE SAME WITH MY CARRIER) AND THAT ATC SEPARATION WAS NEVER LOST DUE TO OUR FOLLOWING THE TCASII TA/RA ADVISORY. HE FURTHER ADVISED THAT HE HAD NO PROB WITH THE ENTIRE EPISODE EXCEPT THAT THE INTRUDER ACFT WAS IN VIOLATION OF HIS AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC. AS I TOLD MY CHIEF PLT, PLEASE PASS ALONG TO THE TCASII MANUFACTURER COMMUNITY THAT THEIR PRODUCTS ARE SAVING LIVES, AND THANK YOU!

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.