Narrative:

While flying the volls 5 arrival into bna at 10000 ft MSL, 250 KIAS, we received a TCASII traffic alert. The target appeared on the TCASII display at approximately 5 mi, straight ahead, 100 ft below our altitude. I disconnected the autoplt and instructed the first officer to ask approach control if he had any targets at our 12 O'clock position. The controller responded that he did not and that it was probably an aircraft from a local airport that had just taken off. Approximately 2-3 seconds later we received an RA commanding a 2000 FPM climb, which we immediately established. At 10600 ft MSL, the first officer observed a small single engine airplane passing approximately 100 ft under our right wing. At 10800 ft MSL, I pushed the nose back down and descended back to 10000 ft MSL. The first officer reported the near miss and our altitude deviation to ATC and the flight proceeded uneventfully to bna. We could not identify the registration number of the other aircraft. Recommendations: GA pilots should be advised to avoid flying on terminal sids/stars while operating VFR. Air traffic controllers should be advised to be careful in advising aircraft under their control about potential traffic conflicts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF B727 CLBED FROM STAR ARR ALT IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA AND OBSERVED AN SMA SEL ACFT PASSING UNDER THEIR R WING. ATC HAD NOT ISSUED ANY TA.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING THE VOLLS 5 ARR INTO BNA AT 10000 FT MSL, 250 KIAS, WE RECEIVED A TCASII TFC ALERT. THE TARGET APPEARED ON THE TCASII DISPLAY AT APPROX 5 MI, STRAIGHT AHEAD, 100 FT BELOW OUR ALT. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND INSTRUCTED THE FO TO ASK APCH CTL IF HE HAD ANY TARGETS AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS. THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT HE DID NOT AND THAT IT WAS PROBABLY AN ACFT FROM A LCL ARPT THAT HAD JUST TAKEN OFF. APPROX 2-3 SECONDS LATER WE RECEIVED AN RA COMMANDING A 2000 FPM CLB, WHICH WE IMMEDIATELY ESTABLISHED. AT 10600 FT MSL, THE FO OBSERVED A SMALL SINGLE ENG AIRPLANE PASSING APPROX 100 FT UNDER OUR R WING. AT 10800 FT MSL, I PUSHED THE NOSE BACK DOWN AND DSNDED BACK TO 10000 FT MSL. THE FO RPTED THE NEAR MISS AND OUR ALTDEV TO ATC AND THE FLT PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY TO BNA. WE COULD NOT IDENT THE REGISTRATION NUMBER OF THE OTHER ACFT. RECOMMENDATIONS: GA PLTS SHOULD BE ADVISED TO AVOID FLYING ON TERMINAL SIDS/STARS WHILE OPERATING VFR. AIR TFC CTLRS SHOULD BE ADVISED TO BE CAREFUL IN ADVISING ACFT UNDER THEIR CTL ABOUT POTENTIAL TFC CONFLICTS.

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.