Narrative:

On the bowie six arrival into dfw ATC (center controller) instructed us to descend to 5000 ft then handed us off to dfw approach control. First officer noticed a target aircraft at our 1 O'clock position. I visually confirmed target (high wing tail dragger type). Target appeared at our altitude and heading away from us. (We had no TCASII readout on target.) a few seconds later, target turned around and appeared to do a 180 degree turn towards us. I took control of the aircraft, descended 800 ft and turned 30 degrees away (left of course). No TCASII TA's and target aircraft probably did not have a transponder, or it was not on. After clearing target aircraft I called ATC. He said he had numerous targets in the decatur, tx, area with no altitude information. We returned to base course and altitude and continued our approach. Dfw arrival control has always segregated propeller aircraft from jet aircraft and descends propeller aircraft to very low altitudes outside class B airspace. This incident occurred at 8 or 9 mi outside class B airspace at 5000 ft MSL on a published arrival. The decatur, tx airport is about 2 mi south of the bowie six arrival.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC CONFLICT ON THE BOWIE-4 ARR TO DALLAS, TX, NEAR THE DECATUR ARPT.

Narrative: ON THE BOWIE SIX ARR INTO DFW ATC (CTR CTLR) INSTRUCTED US TO DSND TO 5000 FT THEN HANDED US OFF TO DFW APCH CTL. FO NOTICED A TARGET ACFT AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS. I VISUALLY CONFIRMED TARGET (HIGH WING TAIL DRAGGER TYPE). TARGET APPEARED AT OUR ALT AND HEADING AWAY FROM US. (WE HAD NO TCASII READOUT ON TARGET.) A FEW SECONDS LATER, TARGET TURNED AROUND AND APPEARED TO DO A 180 DEG TURN TOWARDS US. I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT, DSNDED 800 FT AND TURNED 30 DEGS AWAY (L OF COURSE). NO TCASII TA'S AND TARGET ACFT PROBABLY DID NOT HAVE A XPONDER, OR IT WAS NOT ON. AFTER CLRING TARGET ACFT I CALLED ATC. HE SAID HE HAD NUMEROUS TARGETS IN THE DECATUR, TX, AREA WITH NO ALT INFO. WE RETURNED TO BASE COURSE AND ALT AND CONTINUED OUR APCH. DFW ARR CTL HAS ALWAYS SEGREGATED PROP ACFT FROM JET ACFT AND DSNDS PROP ACFT TO VERY LOW ALTS OUTSIDE CLASS B AIRSPACE. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 8 OR 9 MI OUTSIDE CLASS B AIRSPACE AT 5000 FT MSL ON A PUBLISHED ARR. THE DECATUR, TX ARPT IS ABOUT 2 MI S OF THE BOWIE SIX ARR.

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.