MD83 flight crew initiate TCASII maneuver due to unidented traffic while on rsw vector.

Attributes
ACN	505403
Time
Date	200103
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rsw.tracon
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rsw.tracon
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 24
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rsw.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	505403
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7700 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	505001
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

On vectors from rsw, we were on a vector of 160 degrees level at 5000 ft. Approach was vectoring traffic on runway 24 and only 1 controller was present and forgot about us. We had been given traffic at 1 O'clock position at 4500 ft, however, there was a scattered layer and that is when we showed traffic at 12 O'clock position and was climbing to our altitude of 5000 ft. We were unable to notify ATC because of his workload. The first officer noticed that the other VFR traffic was getting closer at our altitude and then the TA was announced followed by an RA. I climbed up to 6000 ft and out of 5700 ft we were given a clear of traffic by TCASII. At 6000 ft we were able to find a break in the frequency and notified ATC that we had an RA. ATC was surprised because the traffic was at VFR altitude. We then descended to 5000 ft and were given vectors to the airport. I later called the approach facility and talked with supervisor. They did pull the tapes and found that the controller forgot about us and I did mention that we never did see the traffic because of the scattered clouds. Even though the traffic was supposed to be at a VFR altitude and clear of clouds, it didn't bring any surprise to the controller's attention. He said that is not uncommon. The controller was very polite and invited us to their facility when we got a chance. The call was appreciated. Supplemental information from acn 505001: the contributing factors were that rsw was running 2 arrival corridors and was preoccupied with the east side corridor, and failed to notice the conflict. Also, the VFR traffic was not talking to anyone while maintaining an IFR altitude. The TCASII was our only warning to this conflict due to the hazy conditions and a scattered layer between 4000-6000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD83 FLC INITIATE TCASII MANEUVER DUE TO UNIDENTED TFC WHILE ON RSW VECTOR.

Narrative: ON VECTORS FROM RSW, WE WERE ON A VECTOR OF 160 DEGS LEVEL AT 5000 FT. APCH WAS VECTORING TFC ON RWY 24 AND ONLY 1 CTLR WAS PRESENT AND FORGOT ABOUT US. WE HAD BEEN GIVEN TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK POS AT 4500 FT, HOWEVER, THERE WAS A SCATTERED LAYER AND THAT IS WHEN WE SHOWED TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK POS AND WAS CLBING TO OUR ALT OF 5000 FT. WE WERE UNABLE TO NOTIFY ATC BECAUSE OF HIS WORKLOAD. THE FO NOTICED THAT THE OTHER VFR TFC WAS GETTING CLOSER AT OUR ALT AND THEN THE TA WAS ANNOUNCED FOLLOWED BY AN RA. I CLBED UP TO 6000 FT AND OUT OF 5700 FT WE WERE GIVEN A CLR OF TFC BY TCASII. AT 6000 FT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A BREAK IN THE FREQ AND NOTIFIED ATC THAT WE HAD AN RA. ATC WAS SURPRISED BECAUSE THE TFC WAS AT VFR ALT. WE THEN DSNDED TO 5000 FT AND WERE GIVEN VECTORS TO THE ARPT. I LATER CALLED THE APCH FACILITY AND TALKED WITH SUPVR. THEY DID PULL THE TAPES AND FOUND THAT THE CTLR FORGOT ABOUT US AND I DID MENTION THAT WE NEVER DID SEE THE TFC BECAUSE OF THE SCATTERED CLOUDS. EVEN THOUGH THE TFC WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT A VFR ALT AND CLR OF CLOUDS, IT DIDN'T BRING ANY SURPRISE TO THE CTLR'S ATTN. HE SAID THAT IS NOT UNCOMMON. THE CTLR WAS VERY POLITE AND INVITED US TO THEIR FACILITY WHEN WE GOT A CHANCE. THE CALL WAS APPRECIATED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 505001: THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THAT RSW WAS RUNNING 2 ARR CORRIDORS AND WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH THE E SIDE CORRIDOR, AND FAILED TO NOTICE THE CONFLICT. ALSO, THE VFR TFC WAS NOT TALKING TO ANYONE WHILE MAINTAINING AN IFR ALT. THE TCASII WAS OUR ONLY WARNING TO THIS CONFLICT DUE TO THE HAZY CONDITIONS AND A SCATTERED LAYER BTWN 4000-6000 FT.

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.