Air carrier X on visual approach had conflict with VFR B747 in class D airspace. See and avoid conce...

Attributes
ACN	318356
Time
Date	199510
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mhw
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1500 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mwh tower : mwh
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Saab-Scania Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	318356
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

The descent from altitude to the visual approach for runway 14L at grant county (mwh) was routine. I have flown the profile we were given many times in the past. We entered VMC at about 7000 ft MSL, and at about 10 NM from the airport. Our switch from approach control to tower was close to the airfield, which was normal. At no time, on either approach control or tower frequency, were we given any TA concerning B747 traffic. As we commenced the right hand rollout from the turn to final, at less the 1500 ft AGL, we saw a B747 appear out from underneath our aircraft. The B747 was faster than we were, moving ahead of our aircraft. The B747 was approximately 300 ft below us, and less than 2 plane lengths ahead. We stopped the rollout and commenced a rapid turn to the right, away from the normal traffic pattern of the B747 aircraft. After we were in the turn, the tower made a comment inquiring which type of return to the pattern we would like. This was the first indication we had that the tower was aware of the situation. We flew a r-hand 360 degree pattern, and landed on runway 14L. The aircraft we were in had a TCASII unit installed. The unit had permanent plastic ties around the circuit breakers. The unit also had an 'information' sticker in the logbook and on the equipment. The unit was not deferred as per MEL procedures. The tower later stated that they had us both in sight, and that the B747 was VFR. I am unable to comment on the relevance of those statements. TCASII is installed in this and other aircraft, but is not available for use. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the company was installing TCASII in aircraft but would not let flcs use TCASII until they had seen a video on the use of TCASII and its operation. Locking off TCASII was the company's way of controling use of TCASII. Reporter was informed to call facility manager reference ATC incidents.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X ON VISUAL APCH HAD CONFLICT WITH VFR B747 IN CLASS D AIRSPACE. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT.

Narrative: THE DSCNT FROM ALT TO THE VISUAL APCH FOR RWY 14L AT GRANT COUNTY (MWH) WAS ROUTINE. I HAVE FLOWN THE PROFILE WE WERE GIVEN MANY TIMES IN THE PAST. WE ENTERED VMC AT ABOUT 7000 FT MSL, AND AT ABOUT 10 NM FROM THE ARPT. OUR SWITCH FROM APCH CTL TO TWR WAS CLOSE TO THE AIRFIELD, WHICH WAS NORMAL. AT NO TIME, ON EITHER APCH CTL OR TWR FREQ, WERE WE GIVEN ANY TA CONCERNING B747 TFC. AS WE COMMENCED THE R HAND ROLLOUT FROM THE TURN TO FINAL, AT LESS THE 1500 FT AGL, WE SAW A B747 APPEAR OUT FROM UNDERNEATH OUR ACFT. THE B747 WAS FASTER THAN WE WERE, MOVING AHEAD OF OUR ACFT. THE B747 WAS APPROX 300 FT BELOW US, AND LESS THAN 2 PLANE LENGTHS AHEAD. WE STOPPED THE ROLLOUT AND COMMENCED A RAPID TURN TO THE R, AWAY FROM THE NORMAL TFC PATTERN OF THE B747 ACFT. AFTER WE WERE IN THE TURN, THE TWR MADE A COMMENT INQUIRING WHICH TYPE OF RETURN TO THE PATTERN WE WOULD LIKE. THIS WAS THE FIRST INDICATION WE HAD THAT THE TWR WAS AWARE OF THE SIT. WE FLEW A R-HAND 360 DEG PATTERN, AND LANDED ON RWY 14L. THE ACFT WE WERE IN HAD A TCASII UNIT INSTALLED. THE UNIT HAD PERMANENT PLASTIC TIES AROUND THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS. THE UNIT ALSO HAD AN 'INFO' STICKER IN THE LOGBOOK AND ON THE EQUIP. THE UNIT WAS NOT DEFERRED AS PER MEL PROCS. THE TWR LATER STATED THAT THEY HAD US BOTH IN SIGHT, AND THAT THE B747 WAS VFR. I AM UNABLE TO COMMENT ON THE RELEVANCE OF THOSE STATEMENTS. TCASII IS INSTALLED IN THIS AND OTHER ACFT, BUT IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR USE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE COMPANY WAS INSTALLING TCASII IN ACFT BUT WOULD NOT LET FLCS USE TCASII UNTIL THEY HAD SEEN A VIDEO ON THE USE OF TCASII AND ITS OP. LOCKING OFF TCASII WAS THE COMPANY'S WAY OF CTLING USE OF TCASII. RPTR WAS INFORMED TO CALL FACILITY MGR REF ATC INCIDENTS.

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 X on visual approach had conflict with VFR B747 in class D airspace. See and avoid concept.