Air carrier receives RA during approach to pit.

Attributes
ACN	456881
Time
Date	199912
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 32
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 32
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	456881
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	456452
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

The arrival to pittsburgh was normal until the flight switched to approach control. We were 30 NM from runway at 10000 ft. We requested a lower altitude. The controller stated he would have to keep us at our altitude. The approach sector sounded like a normal saturation of incoming traffic into pittsburgh. We were told we would be given a vector back to the southeast. We were given a clearance to descend to 6000 ft and a heading of 270 degrees at approximately mmj 140 degree radial, 20 NM. We were in VMC and crossing final approach at 7000 ft for 6000 ft on a 270 degree heading when an RA directed us to monitor our descent at 1500 FPM descending. The intruding airplane was a commuter airline turning on final for runway 32 at 6000 ft. A new controller's voice came over the frequency telling us to descend to 4000 ft and turn to 240 degrees. The separation was approximately 2 NM horizontal and the same altitude. The traffic was visually acquired, no extreme maneuver required. It appeared controller saturation created the less than satisfactory traffic separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR RECEIVES RA DURING APCH TO PIT.

Narrative: THE ARR TO PITTSBURGH WAS NORMAL UNTIL THE FLT SWITCHED TO APCH CTL. WE WERE 30 NM FROM RWY AT 10000 FT. WE REQUESTED A LOWER ALT. THE CTLR STATED HE WOULD HAVE TO KEEP US AT OUR ALT. THE APCH SECTOR SOUNDED LIKE A NORMAL SATURATION OF INCOMING TFC INTO PITTSBURGH. WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD BE GIVEN A VECTOR BACK TO THE SE. WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC TO DSND TO 6000 FT AND A HDG OF 270 DEGS AT APPROX MMJ 140 DEG RADIAL, 20 NM. WE WERE IN VMC AND XING FINAL APCH AT 7000 FT FOR 6000 FT ON A 270 DEG HDG WHEN AN RA DIRECTED US TO MONITOR OUR DSCNT AT 1500 FPM DSNDING. THE INTRUDING AIRPLANE WAS A COMMUTER AIRLINE TURNING ON FINAL FOR RWY 32 AT 6000 FT. A NEW CTLR'S VOICE CAME OVER THE FREQ TELLING US TO DSND TO 4000 FT AND TURN TO 240 DEGS. THE SEPARATION WAS APPROX 2 NM HORIZ AND THE SAME ALT. THE TFC WAS VISUALLY ACQUIRED, NO EXTREME MANEUVER REQUIRED. IT APPEARED CTLR SATURATION CREATED THE LESS THAN SATISFACTORY TFC SEPARATION.

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.