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Flight crew of B757-200 intercepting localizer runway 19L at sna experiences near midair collision with VFR learjet.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 627353 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200408 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sna.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sna.tower tower : sfo.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 19r |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sna.tower |
| Make Model Name | Gates Learjet Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 627353 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 8000 |
| ASRS Report | 627356 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action other |
| Consequence | other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 200 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We had just been cleared to intercept the RNAV runway 19R sna and were cleared to descend to 2500 ft until intercepting. As we were turning to intercept the course the TCASII went off and I looked at my display and saw an aircraft at 2400 ft climbing at about 2 1/2 mi. I looked out the right side and saw a learjet climbing through the clouds on a near perfect intercept course. The TCASII changed to an RA 'maintain descent rate' (I think) and socal called out the traffic to us. We kept our descent going and he passed directly over us about 100-200 ft above. I told the controller that that was 'a little close.' she responded that he was a VFR aircraft (presumably making it ok to hit us). I then advised her that we had a TCASII RA and she would report it. It has come to my attention that the controling in and around sna is pretty substandard, and this is just another example. My questions are: why are VFR aircraft allowed to cut across the final approach course of sna? And, why is this guy VFR climbing through cloud layers?
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW OF B757-200 INTERCEPTING LOC RWY 19L AT SNA EXPERIENCES NMAC WITH VFR LEARJET.
Narrative: WE HAD JUST BEEN CLRED TO INTERCEPT THE RNAV RWY 19R SNA AND WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 2500 FT UNTIL INTERCEPTING. AS WE WERE TURNING TO INTERCEPT THE COURSE THE TCASII WENT OFF AND I LOOKED AT MY DISPLAY AND SAW AN ACFT AT 2400 FT CLBING AT ABOUT 2 1/2 MI. I LOOKED OUT THE R SIDE AND SAW A LEARJET CLBING THROUGH THE CLOUDS ON A NEAR PERFECT INTERCEPT COURSE. THE TCASII CHANGED TO AN RA 'MAINTAIN DSCNT RATE' (I THINK) AND SOCAL CALLED OUT THE TFC TO US. WE KEPT OUR DSCNT GOING AND HE PASSED DIRECTLY OVER US ABOUT 100-200 FT ABOVE. I TOLD THE CTLR THAT THAT WAS 'A LITTLE CLOSE.' SHE RESPONDED THAT HE WAS A VFR ACFT (PRESUMABLY MAKING IT OK TO HIT US). I THEN ADVISED HER THAT WE HAD A TCASII RA AND SHE WOULD RPT IT. IT HAS COME TO MY ATTN THAT THE CTLING IN AND AROUND SNA IS PRETTY SUBSTANDARD, AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE. MY QUESTIONS ARE: WHY ARE VFR ACFT ALLOWED TO CUT ACROSS THE FINAL APCH COURSE OF SNA? AND, WHY IS THIS GUY VFR CLBING THROUGH CLOUD LAYERS?
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.