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A300 aircraft in descent was given VFR traffic ahead. Reporter captain spotted traffic which coincided with the controller's position and apparent aircraft type and reported traffic. Controller then cleared reporter aircraft to maintain visual separation and continue descent. Shortly thereafter reporter saw the actual aircraft pass closer abeam.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 395180 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199803 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : eca |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17500 msl bound upper : 18000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : syr |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : oca |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7100 flight time type : 600 |
| ASRS Report | 395180 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 2000 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were inbound to oak. We were cleared to descend to FL180 with a TA of VFR traffic at our 11 O'clock position, 17000 ft, a twin beech. We were told to expect lower when clear of that traffic. After about 1 min of looking (I was the PNF) I picked up a visual on traffic at our 10 O'clock position about 1 to 1 1/2 mi. Traffic appeared to be level with, to slightly below us and appeared to be the size of a twin beech. As the traffic approached our 9 O'clock position, I called 'traffic in sight.' we were cleared to descend to 11000 ft reference the traffic. I told the PF that the traffic was now aft of the wing line and it was ok to start down. Descending through 17500 ft, the 'real' traffic passed down our left side. Problem areas: as a freighter we did not have TCASII. Traffic was really at our 12 O'clock position. Once I picked up traffic at 10 O'clock position, I fixated on it. Enough time had elapsed since the original traffic call that the traffic should have been reconfirmed, both by me and the controller. When we started descending with the traffic still on our nose, the controller should have questioned it. There is no way we would have started a descent with known traffic at 12 O'clock position.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A300 ACFT IN DSCNT WAS GIVEN VFR TFC AHEAD. RPTR CAPT SPOTTED TFC WHICH COINCIDED WITH THE CTLR'S POS AND APPARENT ACFT TYPE AND RPTED TFC. CTLR THEN CLRED RPTR ACFT TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION AND CONTINUE DSCNT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER RPTR SAW THE ACTUAL ACFT PASS CLOSER ABEAM.
Narrative: WE WERE INBOUND TO OAK. WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO FL180 WITH A TA OF VFR TFC AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS, 17000 FT, A TWIN BEECH. WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT LOWER WHEN CLR OF THAT TFC. AFTER ABOUT 1 MIN OF LOOKING (I WAS THE PNF) I PICKED UP A VISUAL ON TFC AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS ABOUT 1 TO 1 1/2 MI. TFC APPEARED TO BE LEVEL WITH, TO SLIGHTLY BELOW US AND APPEARED TO BE THE SIZE OF A TWIN BEECH. AS THE TFC APCHED OUR 9 O'CLOCK POS, I CALLED 'TFC IN SIGHT.' WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 11000 FT REF THE TFC. I TOLD THE PF THAT THE TFC WAS NOW AFT OF THE WING LINE AND IT WAS OK TO START DOWN. DSNDING THROUGH 17500 FT, THE 'REAL' TFC PASSED DOWN OUR L SIDE. PROB AREAS: AS A FREIGHTER WE DID NOT HAVE TCASII. TFC WAS REALLY AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS. ONCE I PICKED UP TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK POS, I FIXATED ON IT. ENOUGH TIME HAD ELAPSED SINCE THE ORIGINAL TFC CALL THAT THE TFC SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECONFIRMED, BOTH BY ME AND THE CTLR. WHEN WE STARTED DSNDING WITH THE TFC STILL ON OUR NOSE, THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED IT. THERE IS NO WAY WE WOULD HAVE STARTED A DSCNT WITH KNOWN TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK POS.
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.