B732 flight crew initiate evasive TCASII RA maneuver due to another B737. WX a factor.

Attributes
ACN	499171
Time
Date	200101
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ind.airport
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind.tracon tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 23r other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 7500
ASRS Report	499171
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	498961
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to assigned airspace flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3600 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Approaching ind, I got the ATIS. WX was MVFR (3 mi visibility). Approachs were being made to runways 23L/right. We briefed an approach to runway 23R. Copilot was flying. At midfield, we were at 4000 ft and 220 KTS. I noticed we had a 27 KT left quartering tailwind. At about 10 mi, the controller gave us a right turn to 140 degrees and a descent to 3000 ft. He asked us if we had traffic at 12 - 1 O'clock position or the field. I saw the traffic and immediately knew we had problems. He was 12 - 1 O'clock position and slightly below us. I said to the copilot, 'I have the aircraft.' we got an RA. I banked the aircraft hard right for traffic avoidance. We got a 'bank angle' alert. I threw the throttles up and tried to maintain altitude. I saw the aircraft going under the nose and lost sight of him. When I leveled the wings on runway heading I saw we were left of the centerline for runway 23L. I usually picked up on the other aircraft and the field and landed the aircraft on runway 23R. At the gate, I called approach control. Summary: in my opinion, the WX at the field was changing to VFR and we were anticipating an ILS approach. The controller was anticipating a visual approach. That piece of information along with the wind factor was what caused the breakdown. On the radar vector, we complied with the instructions, but the controller lost sight of wind factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B732 FLC INITIATE EVASIVE TCASII RA MANEUVER DUE TO ANOTHER B737. WX A FACTOR.

Narrative: APCHING IND, I GOT THE ATIS. WX WAS MVFR (3 MI VISIBILITY). APCHS WERE BEING MADE TO RWYS 23L/R. WE BRIEFED AN APCH TO RWY 23R. COPLT WAS FLYING. AT MIDFIELD, WE WERE AT 4000 FT AND 220 KTS. I NOTICED WE HAD A 27 KT L QUARTERING TAILWIND. AT ABOUT 10 MI, THE CTLR GAVE US A R TURN TO 140 DEGS AND A DSCNT TO 3000 FT. HE ASKED US IF WE HAD TFC AT 12 - 1 O'CLOCK POS OR THE FIELD. I SAW THE TFC AND IMMEDIATELY KNEW WE HAD PROBS. HE WAS 12 - 1 O'CLOCK POS AND SLIGHTLY BELOW US. I SAID TO THE COPLT, 'I HAVE THE ACFT.' WE GOT AN RA. I BANKED THE ACFT HARD R FOR TFC AVOIDANCE. WE GOT A 'BANK ANGLE' ALERT. I THREW THE THROTTLES UP AND TRIED TO MAINTAIN ALT. I SAW THE ACFT GOING UNDER THE NOSE AND LOST SIGHT OF HIM. WHEN I LEVELED THE WINGS ON RWY HDG I SAW WE WERE L OF THE CTRLINE FOR RWY 23L. I USUALLY PICKED UP ON THE OTHER ACFT AND THE FIELD AND LANDED THE ACFT ON RWY 23R. AT THE GATE, I CALLED APCH CTL. SUMMARY: IN MY OPINION, THE WX AT THE FIELD WAS CHANGING TO VFR AND WE WERE ANTICIPATING AN ILS APCH. THE CTLR WAS ANTICIPATING A VISUAL APCH. THAT PIECE OF INFO ALONG WITH THE WIND FACTOR WAS WHAT CAUSED THE BREAKDOWN. ON THE RADAR VECTOR, WE COMPLIED WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS, BUT THE CTLR LOST SIGHT OF WIND FACTOR.

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.