Flight crew of air carrier mdt receives TCASII RA descending into cha.

Attributes
ACN	425548
Time
Date	199901
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cha
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 11500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	425548
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight was approximately 25 NM north of cha and we were talking to ZTL, cleared from FL240 to 10000 ft. Passing approximately 15000 ft, instructed to contact cha approach. Approach cleared us to 4000 ft. At approximately 12000 ft, we were descending at approximately 3500 FPM. Approach called traffic at 10 O'clock about 12 mi VFR, 9500 ft, not talking to him. We had no visual contact. Approach gave us no instructions. At approximately 11500 ft the TCASII called traffic then gave us an RA to climb. We did as indicated and informed approach. They had us turn right to 270 degree vectors for the traffic. As we turned we observed the traffic. After we were clear of traffic both visibly, TCASII and radar, we turned to 190 degrees and continued a descent to 4000 ft. The small single engine aircraft like a piper arrow passed without incident. Getting us down sooner, or possibly notification by center or approach may have avoided the situation. Also, asking for lower altitude sooner or vectors when traffic was first pointed out but no visual contact was made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR MDT RECEIVES TCASII RA DSNDING INTO CHA.

Narrative: FLT WAS APPROX 25 NM N OF CHA AND WE WERE TALKING TO ZTL, CLRED FROM FL240 TO 10000 FT. PASSING APPROX 15000 FT, INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT CHA APCH. APCH CLRED US TO 4000 FT. AT APPROX 12000 FT, WE WERE DSNDING AT APPROX 3500 FPM. APCH CALLED TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK ABOUT 12 MI VFR, 9500 FT, NOT TALKING TO HIM. WE HAD NO VISUAL CONTACT. APCH GAVE US NO INSTRUCTIONS. AT APPROX 11500 FT THE TCASII CALLED TFC THEN GAVE US AN RA TO CLB. WE DID AS INDICATED AND INFORMED APCH. THEY HAD US TURN R TO 270 DEG VECTORS FOR THE TFC. AS WE TURNED WE OBSERVED THE TFC. AFTER WE WERE CLR OF TFC BOTH VISIBLY, TCASII AND RADAR, WE TURNED TO 190 DEGS AND CONTINUED A DSCNT TO 4000 FT. THE SMALL SINGLE ENG ACFT LIKE A PIPER ARROW PASSED WITHOUT INCIDENT. GETTING US DOWN SOONER, OR POSSIBLY NOTIFICATION BY CTR OR APCH MAY HAVE AVOIDED THE SIT. ALSO, ASKING FOR LOWER ALT SOONER OR VECTORS WHEN TFC WAS FIRST POINTED OUT BUT NO VISUAL CONTACT WAS MADE.

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.