Narrative:

Cleared to descend to 9000 ft MSL for approach into sjc. Approaching gilro intersection; descending slowly through 11000 ft; slowing from 320 KIAS for descent below 10000 ft MSL; bay approach notified us of a cessna 1 O'clock position; sbound at 10500 ft. First officer immediately spotted cessna. TCAS was placarded inoperative. I soon saw cessna as well; and it appeared no threat; diverging course. I made the comment 'should be no problem unless he turns into us.' as we came upon his altitude; he did turn sharply into us; apparently not seeing us (we had all lights on). First officer said 'descend' (much like the TCAS would have) and I; concurring with her assessment; extended the speed brakes and nosed over sharply to our assigned altitude of 9000 ft MSL. This resulted in approximately 300 KIAS below 10000 ft MSL; prompting the need for a 'near miss' report. Unfortunately; there was some checking on conditions in the cabin necessary after the abrupt maneuver; and there was no opportunity; on a congested frequency; to request that report from ATC before we landed. I called the bay approach supervisor on the telephone after gate arrival to request the report. She commented 'you didn't say that on the frequency;' so I'm not sure if she filed the report or not. The situation was very well handled by ATC; with the accurate traffic call having been possibly a life safer; with TCAS inoperative. I also commend first officer for spotting the traffic right away; and her quick thinking when the traffic turned towards us. Because of our timely maneuver; I do not believe we were less than 1 mi at closest point of approach; within less than 1000 ft vertically.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW HAS A TFC CONFLICT DURING DSCNT INTO SJC.

Narrative: CLRED TO DSND TO 9000 FT MSL FOR APCH INTO SJC. APCHING GILRO INTXN; DSNDING SLOWLY THROUGH 11000 FT; SLOWING FROM 320 KIAS FOR DSCNT BELOW 10000 FT MSL; BAY APCH NOTIFIED US OF A CESSNA 1 O'CLOCK POS; SBOUND AT 10500 FT. FO IMMEDIATELY SPOTTED CESSNA. TCAS WAS PLACARDED INOP. I SOON SAW CESSNA AS WELL; AND IT APPEARED NO THREAT; DIVERGING COURSE. I MADE THE COMMENT 'SHOULD BE NO PROB UNLESS HE TURNS INTO US.' AS WE CAME UPON HIS ALT; HE DID TURN SHARPLY INTO US; APPARENTLY NOT SEEING US (WE HAD ALL LIGHTS ON). FO SAID 'DSND' (MUCH LIKE THE TCAS WOULD HAVE) AND I; CONCURRING WITH HER ASSESSMENT; EXTENDED THE SPD BRAKES AND NOSED OVER SHARPLY TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 9000 FT MSL. THIS RESULTED IN APPROX 300 KIAS BELOW 10000 FT MSL; PROMPTING THE NEED FOR A 'NEAR MISS' RPT. UNFORTUNATELY; THERE WAS SOME CHKING ON CONDITIONS IN THE CABIN NECESSARY AFTER THE ABRUPT MANEUVER; AND THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY; ON A CONGESTED FREQ; TO REQUEST THAT RPT FROM ATC BEFORE WE LANDED. I CALLED THE BAY APCH SUPVR ON THE TELEPHONE AFTER GATE ARR TO REQUEST THE RPT. SHE COMMENTED 'YOU DIDN'T SAY THAT ON THE FREQ;' SO I'M NOT SURE IF SHE FILED THE RPT OR NOT. THE SIT WAS VERY WELL HANDLED BY ATC; WITH THE ACCURATE TFC CALL HAVING BEEN POSSIBLY A LIFE SAFER; WITH TCAS INOP. I ALSO COMMEND FO FOR SPOTTING THE TFC RIGHT AWAY; AND HER QUICK THINKING WHEN THE TFC TURNED TOWARDS US. BECAUSE OF OUR TIMELY MANEUVER; I DO NOT BELIEVE WE WERE LESS THAN 1 MI AT CLOSEST POINT OF APCH; WITHIN LESS THAN 1000 FT VERTLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.