A320 captain experiences near midair collision with glider while in descent to las.

Attributes
ACN	736824
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : l30.tracon
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : sunset 2
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sail Plane
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	736824
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : anomaly accepted
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Near miss with glider flying north to south along ridge line. Closest point of intercept: approximately 200 ft. No evasive action taken based on geometry. We told controller and she informed the next arrival aircraft behind us of a possible 'primary' target. I spoke with TRACON and they said they frequently fly the ridge and are hard to detect on radar. He also mentioned that gliders can still fly in class C without mode C.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPTAIN EXPERIENCES NMAC WITH GLIDER WHILE IN DESCENT TO LAS.

Narrative: NEAR MISS WITH GLIDER FLYING N TO S ALONG RIDGE LINE. CLOSEST POINT OF INTERCEPT: APPROX 200 FT. NO EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN BASED ON GEOMETRY. WE TOLD CTLR AND SHE INFORMED THE NEXT ARR ACFT BEHIND US OF A POSSIBLE 'PRIMARY' TARGET. I SPOKE WITH TRACON AND THEY SAID THEY FREQUENTLY FLY THE RIDGE AND ARE HARD TO DETECT ON RADAR. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT GLIDERS CAN STILL FLY IN CLASS C WITHOUT MODE C.

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.