Narrative:

Rockit arrival. Departed akeem 265 degree heading, 6000 ft MSL. Switched to final controller (frequency 121.65? Not sure). Just past approach end of runway 8, iah, cleared to descend to 3000 ft. Continued on westerly heading past hooks airfield. Cleared to 2000 ft MSL, turned left to 180 degrees, base leg. Reached 2000 ft on base leg, turned to intercept runway 8 localizer, still at 2000 ft! With all the activity, looking for traffic, running the approach check, etc, I did not look at our DME. I would estimate between 15-20 NM -- it was a very long final. We are now on localizer at 2000 ft MSL. Approach called out unknown VFR traffic, altitude indicated 1800 ft MSL, 1 O'clock. We looked, no contact. Next, TCASII reports 'traffic, traffic.' we visually locate the traffic, a C172 high wing variety. TCASII reports 'climb, climb,' but before we could actually respond to the RA, traffic went under us and off to our left. As I watched him, I noticed hooks at 10 O'clock and about 3 or 4 mi. Observations: 1) suspect at our most westerly position at 2000 ft that we had 'popped out' of the class B airspace. 2) when the conflict occurred, we were back inside the class B airspace. 3) TCASII does not always give you time to respond. 4) we were in the TCA at 2000 ft MSL. The cessna was legally flying below the TCA at 1800 ft MSL. He could have been at 1999 ft MSL, legally. Conclusions: 1) the floor of the TCA is not a safe place. 2) it is my responsibility to operate a safe flight. 3) I will no longer fly at the floor of the TCA, nor will I accept a clearance to do so. Recommendations: 1) approach control should advise us how long our final will be. Normally, we infer by descent clrncs. For instance, at iah, at 6000 ft MSL on downwind, a descent clearance to 3000 ft or 2000 ft MSL normally means the controller is going to give you a base turn very quickly. My response? I expedite my descent to avoid a 'slam dunk.' a clearance to 4000 ft? No hurry, long final. 2) approach control should not assign 2000 ft if they know they are planning to take an airplane beyond the boundaries of the TCA. 3000 ft or 4000 ft would work fine. 3) do not trust approach control. They don't care if they compromise my safety or my license. It's my responsibility, so they don't care. Once again, I'm on my own.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 ACFT ON VECTORS FOR APCH HAD LONG FINAL AND PROBABLY POPPED OUT OF CLASS B AIRSPACE RESULTING IN A CONFLICT WITH A GA ACFT. FLC HAD TCASII RA, BUT SAY THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO REACT.

Narrative: ROCKIT ARR. DEPARTED AKEEM 265 DEG HDG, 6000 FT MSL. SWITCHED TO FINAL CTLR (FREQ 121.65? NOT SURE). JUST PAST APCH END OF RWY 8, IAH, CLRED TO DSND TO 3000 FT. CONTINUED ON WESTERLY HDG PAST HOOKS AIRFIELD. CLRED TO 2000 FT MSL, TURNED L TO 180 DEGS, BASE LEG. REACHED 2000 FT ON BASE LEG, TURNED TO INTERCEPT RWY 8 LOC, STILL AT 2000 FT! WITH ALL THE ACTIVITY, LOOKING FOR TFC, RUNNING THE APCH CHK, ETC, I DID NOT LOOK AT OUR DME. I WOULD ESTIMATE BTWN 15-20 NM -- IT WAS A VERY LONG FINAL. WE ARE NOW ON LOC AT 2000 FT MSL. APCH CALLED OUT UNKNOWN VFR TFC, ALT INDICATED 1800 FT MSL, 1 O'CLOCK. WE LOOKED, NO CONTACT. NEXT, TCASII RPTS 'TFC, TFC.' WE VISUALLY LOCATE THE TFC, A C172 HIGH WING VARIETY. TCASII RPTS 'CLB, CLB,' BUT BEFORE WE COULD ACTUALLY RESPOND TO THE RA, TFC WENT UNDER US AND OFF TO OUR L. AS I WATCHED HIM, I NOTICED HOOKS AT 10 O'CLOCK AND ABOUT 3 OR 4 MI. OBSERVATIONS: 1) SUSPECT AT OUR MOST WESTERLY POS AT 2000 FT THAT WE HAD 'POPPED OUT' OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. 2) WHEN THE CONFLICT OCCURRED, WE WERE BACK INSIDE THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. 3) TCASII DOES NOT ALWAYS GIVE YOU TIME TO RESPOND. 4) WE WERE IN THE TCA AT 2000 FT MSL. THE CESSNA WAS LEGALLY FLYING BELOW THE TCA AT 1800 FT MSL. HE COULD HAVE BEEN AT 1999 FT MSL, LEGALLY. CONCLUSIONS: 1) THE FLOOR OF THE TCA IS NOT A SAFE PLACE. 2) IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO OPERATE A SAFE FLT. 3) I WILL NO LONGER FLY AT THE FLOOR OF THE TCA, NOR WILL I ACCEPT A CLRNC TO DO SO. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1) APCH CTL SHOULD ADVISE US HOW LONG OUR FINAL WILL BE. NORMALLY, WE INFER BY DSCNT CLRNCS. FOR INSTANCE, AT IAH, AT 6000 FT MSL ON DOWNWIND, A DSCNT CLRNC TO 3000 FT OR 2000 FT MSL NORMALLY MEANS THE CTLR IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A BASE TURN VERY QUICKLY. MY RESPONSE? I EXPEDITE MY DSCNT TO AVOID A 'SLAM DUNK.' A CLRNC TO 4000 FT? NO HURRY, LONG FINAL. 2) APCH CTL SHOULD NOT ASSIGN 2000 FT IF THEY KNOW THEY ARE PLANNING TO TAKE AN AIRPLANE BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE TCA. 3000 FT OR 4000 FT WOULD WORK FINE. 3) DO NOT TRUST APCH CTL. THEY DON'T CARE IF THEY COMPROMISE MY SAFETY OR MY LICENSE. IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY, SO THEY DON'T CARE. ONCE AGAIN, I'M ON MY OWN.

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.