B737 crew had near midair collision in ZMA class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	444474
Time
Date	199907
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : vkz.vor
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc tower : phx.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : mrlin 4
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Mooney Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	444474
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical conflict : nmac non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance FAA Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure

Narrative:

ZMA told us to descend and cross mrlin at 7000 ft. We were at FL240 at the time. At approximately 60 mi out at 8000 ft and descending under radar control, ZMA told us there was traffic that had just left pbi heading our way and not under radar control. They asked us to stop descent at 7500 ft. Then he (ZMA controller) said traffic was climbing. At the same time, the TCASII RA went off saying 'climb, climb now.' I immediately applied maximum power and climbed following the RA commands and climb rate. TCASII then said 'monitor vertical speed' at which time I started to level off. TCASII then said 'clear of conflict.' we never got the warning of a TA. We then called ZMA who reclred us to 7000 ft and told us to contact fll approach. ZMA later (on the ground by taxiway P) the aircraft was a mooney flying VFR not under radar advisories heading to treasure kay (myat). I firmly believe if we did not have TCASII and followed RA procedures immediately, we would have had a midair collision. As it was, the mooney flew 300 ft directly underneath our airplane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW HAD NMAC IN ZMA CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ZMA TOLD US TO DSND AND CROSS MRLIN AT 7000 FT. WE WERE AT FL240 AT THE TIME. AT APPROX 60 MI OUT AT 8000 FT AND DSNDING UNDER RADAR CTL, ZMA TOLD US THERE WAS TFC THAT HAD JUST LEFT PBI HDG OUR WAY AND NOT UNDER RADAR CTL. THEY ASKED US TO STOP DSCNT AT 7500 FT. THEN HE (ZMA CTLR) SAID TFC WAS CLBING. AT THE SAME TIME, THE TCASII RA WENT OFF SAYING 'CLB, CLB NOW.' I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED MAX PWR AND CLBED FOLLOWING THE RA COMMANDS AND CLB RATE. TCASII THEN SAID 'MONITOR VERT SPD' AT WHICH TIME I STARTED TO LEVEL OFF. TCASII THEN SAID 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' WE NEVER GOT THE WARNING OF A TA. WE THEN CALLED ZMA WHO RECLRED US TO 7000 FT AND TOLD US TO CONTACT FLL APCH. ZMA LATER (ON THE GND BY TXWY P) THE ACFT WAS A MOONEY FLYING VFR NOT UNDER RADAR ADVISORIES HDG TO TREASURE KAY (MYAT). I FIRMLY BELIEVE IF WE DID NOT HAVE TCASII AND FOLLOWED RA PROCS IMMEDIATELY, WE WOULD HAVE HAD A MIDAIR COLLISION. AS IT WAS, THE MOONEY FLEW 300 FT DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH OUR AIRPLANE.

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.