A300 crew and PA23 had less than legal separation in sju class C airspace.

Attributes
ACN	556308
Time
Date	200208
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sju.airport
State Reference	PR
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sju.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-31T-1 Cheyenne I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	556308
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Miss Distance	vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Responded to TCASII RA. Vectors to final approach for runway 10 at 3000 ft. Sju tower advises us of traffic at 11 O'clock position. We looked for the apache at 1800 ft. He told us the altitude readout on him showed 2800 ft. He asked apache if he was at 1800 ft and was advised affirmative. We saw apache at 12 O'clock position and TCASII advised us of traffic. We then got 'monitor vertical speed.' then we got climb directive and climbed approximately 200 ft before clear of conflict received. VFR conditions prevailed and we felt we saw the apache but responded to the TCASII just in case that was not the target airplane. ATC told us he was dealing with the matter. We descended back to 3000 ft and landed without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 CREW AND PA23 HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION IN SJU CLASS C AIRSPACE.

Narrative: RESPONDED TO TCASII RA. VECTORS TO FINAL APCH FOR RWY 10 AT 3000 FT. SJU TWR ADVISES US OF TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK POS. WE LOOKED FOR THE APACHE AT 1800 FT. HE TOLD US THE ALT READOUT ON HIM SHOWED 2800 FT. HE ASKED APACHE IF HE WAS AT 1800 FT AND WAS ADVISED AFFIRMATIVE. WE SAW APACHE AT 12 O'CLOCK POS AND TCASII ADVISED US OF TFC. WE THEN GOT 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' THEN WE GOT CLB DIRECTIVE AND CLBED APPROX 200 FT BEFORE CLR OF CONFLICT RECEIVED. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND WE FELT WE SAW THE APACHE BUT RESPONDED TO THE TCASII JUST IN CASE THAT WAS NOT THE TARGET AIRPLANE. ATC TOLD US HE WAS DEALING WITH THE MATTER. WE DSNDED BACK TO 3000 FT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.