Beech kingair 90 flight crew has close encounter with an airbus during survey flight vicinity of msy...

Attributes
ACN	711832
Time
Date	200609
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msy.airport
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl single value : 3300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msy.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msy.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Airbus Industrie Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	711832
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 105 flight time total : 1270 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	711835
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

BE90 flight conducted under prior approval and coordination with operations supervisor. Survey flight parallel to lake pontchartrain -- 1 hour elapsed. East and west passes approximately 15 NM long at 3300 ft MSL. 6 passes previously flown. New orleans approach; very familiar with our flight path and intentions. Wbound pass; north of msy. Airbus on visual approach msy runway 10; cleared to descend to 2000 ft MSL; below my aircraft. Both aircraft advised by approach control; BE90 traffic in sight. Visually idented the traffic approximately 8 NM at 2 O'clock position; descending. Flight crew announced 'traffic in sight and maintain visual separation.' observed the aircraft passing through my altitude. Cockpit discussion: 'aircraft will pass under our aircraft; maintain straight and level.' airbus stopped descent; initiated a climb. BE90 climbing turn to give way. Airbus announced; 'air carrier climbing to 3500 ft; TCAS alert recommended climb. Company procedure to climb.' msy offered a 360 degree turn. Controller asked; 'traffic in sight?' airbus replied; 'I have him in sight now!' no reprimand from approach control. Commenced our survey flight 3 hours and landed. Telephoned approach control to discuss the incident. Approach explained that air carrier had visual; but was instructed to climb by TCAS. The TCAS warning caused airbus to climb; which resulted in a collision course.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BEECH KINGAIR 90 FLT CREW HAS CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH AN AIRBUS DURING SURVEY FLT VICINITY OF MSY.

Narrative: BE90 FLT CONDUCTED UNDER PRIOR APPROVAL AND COORD WITH OPS SUPVR. SURVEY FLT PARALLEL TO LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN -- 1 HR ELAPSED. E AND W PASSES APPROX 15 NM LONG AT 3300 FT MSL. 6 PASSES PREVIOUSLY FLOWN. NEW ORLEANS APCH; VERY FAMILIAR WITH OUR FLT PATH AND INTENTIONS. WBOUND PASS; N OF MSY. AIRBUS ON VISUAL APCH MSY RWY 10; CLRED TO DSND TO 2000 FT MSL; BELOW MY ACFT. BOTH ACFT ADVISED BY APCH CTL; BE90 TFC IN SIGHT. VISUALLY IDENTED THE TFC APPROX 8 NM AT 2 O'CLOCK POS; DSNDING. FLT CREW ANNOUNCED 'TFC IN SIGHT AND MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION.' OBSERVED THE ACFT PASSING THROUGH MY ALT. COCKPIT DISCUSSION: 'ACFT WILL PASS UNDER OUR ACFT; MAINTAIN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL.' AIRBUS STOPPED DSCNT; INITIATED A CLB. BE90 CLBING TURN TO GIVE WAY. AIRBUS ANNOUNCED; 'ACR CLBING TO 3500 FT; TCAS ALERT RECOMMENDED CLB. COMPANY PROC TO CLB.' MSY OFFERED A 360 DEG TURN. CTLR ASKED; 'TFC IN SIGHT?' AIRBUS REPLIED; 'I HAVE HIM IN SIGHT NOW!' NO REPRIMAND FROM APCH CTL. COMMENCED OUR SURVEY FLT 3 HRS AND LANDED. TELEPHONED APCH CTL TO DISCUSS THE INCIDENT. APCH EXPLAINED THAT ACR HAD VISUAL; BUT WAS INSTRUCTED TO CLB BY TCAS. THE TCAS WARNING CAUSED AIRBUS TO CLB; WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION COURSE.

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.