Narrative:

Widebody transport X was being given radar vectors for a visual approach into bangor, me. While descending through about 6000' MSL the controller issued a traffic advisory. This advisory indicated that traffic was '1 O'clock, 3 mi, eastbound, altitude unknown.' about 20 seconds after the advisory the aircraft in question was spotted by all 3 cockpit crew members. A single engine, small aircraft Y was seen between clouds, at our 1 O'clock position. (Cloud cover 5/8 coverage cumulus--visibility below 15 mi.) it appeared to be at the same altitude on a direct course for our aircraft. It was estimated that there was no vertical sep and about 500-700' horizontal sep. The aircraft then passed to the right of my aircraft with what appeared to be little or no evasive action. My aircraft took no evasive action. The total time between first visual contact until contact was lost is estimated to be 5-10 seconds. The widebody transport X landed west/O further incident. A phone call to the ATC supervisor was made upon landing. He revealed that a system error had been made by the local controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB GIVEN TRAFFIC INFORMATION ON UNKNOWN SMA TRAFFIC SAW THE ACFT PASS IN CLOSE PROX A FEW SECONDS LATER. NO EVASIVE ACTION BY EITHER ACFT.

Narrative: WDB X WAS BEING GIVEN RADAR VECTORS FOR A VISUAL APCH INTO BANGOR, ME. WHILE DSNDING THROUGH ABOUT 6000' MSL THE CTLR ISSUED A TFC ADVISORY. THIS ADVISORY INDICATED THAT TFC WAS '1 O'CLOCK, 3 MI, EBND, ALT UNKNOWN.' ABOUT 20 SECS AFTER THE ADVISORY THE ACFT IN QUESTION WAS SPOTTED BY ALL 3 COCKPIT CREW MEMBERS. A SINGLE ENG, SMA Y WAS SEEN BTWN CLOUDS, AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS. (CLOUD COVER 5/8 COVERAGE CUMULUS--VIS BELOW 15 MI.) IT APPEARED TO BE AT THE SAME ALT ON A DIRECT COURSE FOR OUR ACFT. IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THERE WAS NO VERT SEP AND ABOUT 500-700' HORIZ SEP. THE ACFT THEN PASSED TO THE RIGHT OF MY ACFT WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE LITTLE OR NO EVASIVE ACTION. MY ACFT TOOK NO EVASIVE ACTION. THE TOTAL TIME BTWN FIRST VISUAL CONTACT UNTIL CONTACT WAS LOST IS ESTIMATED TO BE 5-10 SECS. THE WDB X LANDED W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. A PHONE CALL TO THE ATC SUPVR WAS MADE UPON LNDG. HE REVEALED THAT A SYS ERROR HAD BEEN MADE BY THE LCL CTLR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.