Near midair collision during a visual approach to hpn in a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	347475
Time
Date	199609
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hpn
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 1400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : hpn
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	347475
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Over bridgeport VOR, new york approach controller instructed us to follow the connecticut shoreline and descend to 3000 ft from 5000 ft. We were then handed off to the final controller who idented us and later cleared us for the sound visual to runway 34 at hpn. The ZNY controller was busy sequencing aircraft that were to follow us but never called out any traffic to us. As we crossed the shoreline, I joined the ILS at 2000 ft and configured the aircraft, calling for the landing checklist. New york approach (126.4) never handed us over to tower, so at about 4 mi out, we switched over. Before we even called the tower we got a TA on the TCASII which quickly went to an RA and instructions to climb. I immediately added power and began to climb calling for flaps 7 degrees and then gear up. Hpn tower asked if we had traffic in sight then cleared us to land. Tower apparently didn't know how close we had missed, only instructing the traffic to fly a 90 degree off the final approach course. We subsequently went around and landed uneventfully. Neither approach nor tower (for a late handoff) ever advised us of traffic we were following. We only had a visual on the traffic after the RA and go around. Our visual approach with no sequence information led us to believe we were #1 to the runway and a late handoff to the tower, including running our landing checklist, all played a part in our lack of visual scan for traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC DURING A VISUAL APCH TO HPN IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: OVER BRIDGEPORT VOR, NEW YORK APCH CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO FOLLOW THE CONNECTICUT SHORELINE AND DSND TO 3000 FT FROM 5000 FT. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO THE FINAL CTLR WHO IDENTED US AND LATER CLRED US FOR THE SOUND VISUAL TO RWY 34 AT HPN. THE ZNY CTLR WAS BUSY SEQUENCING ACFT THAT WERE TO FOLLOW US BUT NEVER CALLED OUT ANY TFC TO US. AS WE CROSSED THE SHORELINE, I JOINED THE ILS AT 2000 FT AND CONFIGURED THE ACFT, CALLING FOR THE LNDG CHKLIST. NEW YORK APCH (126.4) NEVER HANDED US OVER TO TWR, SO AT ABOUT 4 MI OUT, WE SWITCHED OVER. BEFORE WE EVEN CALLED THE TWR WE GOT A TA ON THE TCASII WHICH QUICKLY WENT TO AN RA AND INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB. I IMMEDIATELY ADDED PWR AND BEGAN TO CLB CALLING FOR FLAPS 7 DEGS AND THEN GEAR UP. HPN TWR ASKED IF WE HAD TFC IN SIGHT THEN CLRED US TO LAND. TWR APPARENTLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW CLOSE WE HAD MISSED, ONLY INSTRUCTING THE TFC TO FLY A 90 DEG OFF THE FINAL APCH COURSE. WE SUBSEQUENTLY WENT AROUND AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. NEITHER APCH NOR TWR (FOR A LATE HDOF) EVER ADVISED US OF TFC WE WERE FOLLOWING. WE ONLY HAD A VISUAL ON THE TFC AFTER THE RA AND GAR. OUR VISUAL APCH WITH NO SEQUENCE INFO LED US TO BELIEVE WE WERE #1 TO THE RWY AND A LATE HDOF TO THE TWR, INCLUDING RUNNING OUR LNDG CHKLIST, ALL PLAYED A PART IN OUR LACK OF VISUAL SCAN FOR TFC.

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.