Narrative:

Descending into hnl for landing, ZHN reported traffic ahead. Advised to maintain visual and dscnd to 8000 ft. Upon reaching approximately 14000 ft, traffic appeared to now be 12 O'clock low and climbing. We banked right to avoid the conflict and leveled off at 14000 ft MSL. Once turn was established, an RA of the TCASII sounded. A 'shallow descent' TCASII RA was verbally sounded and shown on the vsi. Bank was increased to gain distance from other aircraft and our aircraft was leveled off to maintain 14000 ft. Other aircraft passed off our left side. ATC should not have issued a clearance at night to maintain visual with converging traffic. We were 12 O'clock to one another and I was cleared to descend below their altitude. A vector for separation should have been issued before cleared into the flight path of the other traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN ACR WDB TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY LEVELING OFF IN DSCNT AND TURNING OFF COURSE IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH ANOTHER ACR CLBING OUT AT NIGHT AND TO SATISFY A TCASII RA.

Narrative: DSNDING INTO HNL FOR LNDG, ZHN RPTED TFC AHEAD. ADVISED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL AND DSCND TO 8000 FT. UPON REACHING APPROX 14000 FT, TFC APPEARED TO NOW BE 12 O'CLOCK LOW AND CLBING. WE BANKED R TO AVOID THE CONFLICT AND LEVELED OFF AT 14000 FT MSL. ONCE TURN WAS ESTABLISHED, AN RA OF THE TCASII SOUNDED. A 'SHALLOW DSCNT' TCASII RA WAS VERBALLY SOUNDED AND SHOWN ON THE VSI. BANK WAS INCREASED TO GAIN DISTANCE FROM OTHER ACFT AND OUR ACFT WAS LEVELED OFF TO MAINTAIN 14000 FT. OTHER ACFT PASSED OFF OUR L SIDE. ATC SHOULD NOT HAVE ISSUED A CLRNC AT NIGHT TO MAINTAIN VISUAL WITH CONVERGING TFC. WE WERE 12 O'CLOCK TO ONE ANOTHER AND I WAS CLRED TO DSND BELOW THEIR ALT. A VECTOR FOR SEPARATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED BEFORE CLRED INTO THE FLT PATH OF THE OTHER 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.