Narrative:

Letting down into birmingham for in-trail approach behind a B737. Made positive visual contact with B737 and approach cleared (us) for a visual approach '#2 to follow the B737 on final.' at this time a C337 was VFR and was asked if he had a positive visual contact on the G2 on final; as it was his traffic to follow! He replied 'gulfstream in sight.' we descended out of 4000 ft and started a turn (through 330) to intercept the inbound course (236) and passing 3000-2800 ft we received an RA and immediate climb. We complied! Moments later one of our passenger came forward and asked if we saw that 'airplane that just went real close to our tail and belly?' we asked him to return to the cabin and reassured him he was safe! My co-captain noted the 'red' RA showed 100 ft as I began to pull up! After which the controller replies; 'turn left heading 330 and intercept localizer.' my co-captain stated; 'we cleared for visual approach' and the controller paused and agreed! The C337 after landing made a comment to the ground controller after he landed 'don't seem to have enough controllers out there; haven't flown a skymaster like that since cambodia; ha; ha; ha!' 1) first I believe birmingham final is too mechanical. We have recently been placed outside of the marker (8-10 mi) it appears to place airline traffic in priority. By the same handling we end up at 170 KTS or less (very slow for a large jet) and forced to follow C172's and the like to accommodate the 'controllers.' we asked to be cleared to runway 36 (our shorter ns runway) and were denied and fell into line somewhere between 7 and 8 in line. Our previous controllers seemed to understand 'how to maneuver jet traffic in between (speed differences in approach versus on final) single engine/light GA traffic.' now it appears that we are 'all' vectored as like aircraft. 2) next 'and most important' I don't believe the cessna ever had visual on us! He may well have seen the B737 we were to follow and mistaken it for us; but by his comments and our passenger's description of his 'maneuver' he saw us at the last moment. And the controller had to see 'it' coming! The very next statement out of the controller was 'turn left to 330...' he wasn't even sure 'if he was still controling us or the cessna.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GII FLT CREW REPORTS TCAS RA AND NMAC WITH C337 DURING VISUAL APPROACH TO BHM RWY 24 AT 2800 FEET.

Narrative: LETTING DOWN INTO BIRMINGHAM FOR IN-TRAIL APCH BEHIND A B737. MADE POSITIVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH B737 AND APCH CLRED (US) FOR A VISUAL APCH '#2 TO FOLLOW THE B737 ON FINAL.' AT THIS TIME A C337 WAS VFR AND WAS ASKED IF HE HAD A POSITIVE VISUAL CONTACT ON THE G2 ON FINAL; AS IT WAS HIS TFC TO FOLLOW! HE REPLIED 'GULFSTREAM IN SIGHT.' WE DSNDED OUT OF 4000 FT AND STARTED A TURN (THROUGH 330) TO INTERCEPT THE INBOUND COURSE (236) AND PASSING 3000-2800 FT WE RECEIVED AN RA AND IMMEDIATE CLB. WE COMPLIED! MOMENTS LATER ONE OF OUR PAX CAME FORWARD AND ASKED IF WE SAW THAT 'AIRPLANE THAT JUST WENT REAL CLOSE TO OUR TAIL AND BELLY?' WE ASKED HIM TO RETURN TO THE CABIN AND REASSURED HIM HE WAS SAFE! MY CO-CAPT NOTED THE 'RED' RA SHOWED 100 FT AS I BEGAN TO PULL UP! AFTER WHICH THE CTLR REPLIES; 'TURN L HDG 330 AND INTERCEPT LOC.' MY CO-CAPT STATED; 'WE CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH' AND THE CTLR PAUSED AND AGREED! THE C337 AFTER LNDG MADE A COMMENT TO THE GND CTLR AFTER HE LANDED 'DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ENOUGH CTLRS OUT THERE; HAVEN'T FLOWN A SKYMASTER LIKE THAT SINCE CAMBODIA; HA; HA; HA!' 1) FIRST I BELIEVE BIRMINGHAM FINAL IS TOO MECHANICAL. WE HAVE RECENTLY BEEN PLACED OUTSIDE OF THE MARKER (8-10 MI) IT APPEARS TO PLACE AIRLINE TFC IN PRIORITY. BY THE SAME HANDLING WE END UP AT 170 KTS OR LESS (VERY SLOW FOR A LARGE JET) AND FORCED TO FOLLOW C172'S AND THE LIKE TO ACCOMMODATE THE 'CTLRS.' WE ASKED TO BE CLRED TO RWY 36 (OUR SHORTER NS RWY) AND WERE DENIED AND FELL INTO LINE SOMEWHERE BTWN 7 AND 8 IN LINE. OUR PREVIOUS CTLRS SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND 'HOW TO MANEUVER JET TFC IN BETWEEN (SPD DIFFERENCES IN APCH VERSUS ON FINAL) SINGLE ENG/LIGHT GA TFC.' NOW IT APPEARS THAT WE ARE 'ALL' VECTORED AS LIKE ACFT. 2) NEXT 'AND MOST IMPORTANT' I DON'T BELIEVE THE CESSNA EVER HAD VISUAL ON US! HE MAY WELL HAVE SEEN THE B737 WE WERE TO FOLLOW AND MISTAKEN IT FOR US; BUT BY HIS COMMENTS AND OUR PAX'S DESCRIPTION OF HIS 'MANEUVER' HE SAW US AT THE LAST MOMENT. AND THE CTLR HAD TO SEE 'IT' COMING! THE VERY NEXT STATEMENT OUT OF THE CTLR WAS 'TURN L TO 330...' HE WASN'T EVEN SURE 'IF HE WAS STILL CTLING US OR THE CESSNA.'

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.