Narrative:

Leveled off at 5000 ft east bound (heading 090 degree) for spacing southwest bound on J121/V139. Saw tow plane with glider in tow slightly left below -- no TCASII TA or RA so both aircraft did not have or use transponders -- which is very poor operation in so busy an area. We asked long island (N90) departure about it and was told they routinely operate to 5000 ft with glider tows in this area. Either tows should be restricted or no IFR traffic vectored in this area at 5000 ft. There is a strong possibility of midair here. I suggest that long island approach work out an agreement with the glider tow operator. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: there had been no radar traffic advisory or point out of the tow aircraft (an L19 type) and glider. Captain spotted the traffic. Reporter estimated his position (MD80) as along the south shore of long island, past gabreski airport, (fok) headed towards the hto VORTAC for vectoring out southwest bound on airway V139. Captain advised ATC of the conflict and they advised him that the glider tow operation was always flown up to 5000 ft. The captain wondered why ATC would give a clearance to an air carrier to operate at 5000 ft in an area where NORDO/NORAC traffic operated without transponder equipment. Captain had not advised his company of the incident but will do so in the hope that they might work out something with the two operators. The tow aircraft should have a transponder at the very least. This type operation works out of 3 different airports, the captain did not know which one was involved in this event. They are, hwv, 4ny7 and fok. All 3 are east of isp, mac arthur airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 PIC PERFORMS A PRECAUTIONARY EVASIVE MANEUVER, TURNING SLIGHTLY AWAY FROM AN OBSERVED L19 TYPE ACFT WITH GLIDER IN TOW LESS THAN 500 FT BELOW, ABOUT 1000 FT AWAY. ACFT WERE SW OF HTO VOR AT 5000 FT, THE MD80 UNDER CTL OF N90, NY.

Narrative: LEVELED OFF AT 5000 FT E BOUND (HDG 090 DEG) FOR SPACING SW BOUND ON J121/V139. SAW TOW PLANE WITH GLIDER IN TOW SLIGHTLY LEFT BELOW -- NO TCASII TA OR RA SO BOTH ACFT DID NOT HAVE OR USE TRANSPONDERS -- WHICH IS VERY POOR OPERATION IN SO BUSY AN AREA. WE ASKED LONG ISLAND (N90) DEP ABOUT IT AND WAS TOLD THEY ROUTINELY OPERATE TO 5000 FT WITH GLIDER TOWS IN THIS AREA. EITHER TOWS SHOULD BE RESTRICTED OR NO IFR TFC VECTORED IN THIS AREA AT 5000 FT. THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY OF MIDAIR HERE. I SUGGEST THAT LONG ISLAND APCH WORK OUT AN AGREEMENT WITH THE GLIDER TOW OPERATOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THERE HAD BEEN NO RADAR TFC ADVISORY OR POINT OUT OF THE TOW ACFT (AN L19 TYPE) AND GLIDER. CAPT SPOTTED THE TFC. RPTR ESTIMATED HIS POSITION (MD80) AS ALONG THE SOUTH SHORE OF LONG ISLAND, PAST GABRESKI ARPT, (FOK) HEADED TOWARDS THE HTO VORTAC FOR VECTORING OUT SW BOUND ON AIRWAY V139. CAPT ADVISED ATC OF THE CONFLICT AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE GLIDER TOW OPERATION WAS ALWAYS FLOWN UP TO 5000 FT. THE CAPT WONDERED WHY ATC WOULD GIVE A CLRNC TO AN ACR TO OPERATE AT 5000 FT IN AN AREA WHERE NORDO/NORAC TFC OPERATED WITHOUT TRANSPONDER EQUIPMENT. CAPT HAD NOT ADVISED HIS COMPANY OF THE INCIDENT BUT WILL DO SO IN THE HOPE THAT THEY MIGHT WORK OUT SOMETHING WITH THE TWO OPERATORS. THE TOW ACFT SHOULD HAVE A TRANSPONDER AT THE VERY LEAST. THIS TYPE OPERATION WORKS OUT OF 3 DIFFERENT ARPTS, THE CAPT DID NOT KNOW WHICH ONE WAS INVOLVED IN THIS EVENT. THEY ARE, HWV, 4NY7 AND FOK. ALL 3 ARE E OF ISP, MAC ARTHUR ARPT.

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.