Less than standard separation between 2 commuter aircraft being vectored for visual approach. Operat...

Attributes
ACN	95736
Time
Date	198810
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ind
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ind artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 7400
ASRS Report	95736
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Our altitude was 4000' assigned, vectored for a visual approach to runway 31. During initial descent from en route, approach controller turned us from arwy to heading 150 degrees from 90 degrees, then 120 degrees, then 180 degrees, then 90 degrees, then 130 degrees. Obviously the plan was not well developed. After passing abeam airport and runway which we called in sight, we were overtaken from behind and above by air carrier aircraft Y. He reported us in sight, and corp Z which was on final. Air carrier Y at 5000', and above us was then issued cleared visual approach to follow corp Z. We were immediately below air carrier Y, which was cleared into our protected space. We observed and reported air carrier Y in sight, then we were cleared for the visual approach to follow Y. The controller failed to provide proper and adequate sep. We had to turn away to avoid air carrier Y as it descended. I later advised the controller that I considered this an unsafe operation. No further comment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 COMMUTER ACFT BEING VECTORED FOR VISUAL APCH. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: OUR ALT WAS 4000' ASSIGNED, VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 31. DURING INITIAL DSCNT FROM ENRTE, APCH CTLR TURNED US FROM ARWY TO HDG 150 DEGS FROM 90 DEGS, THEN 120 DEGS, THEN 180 DEGS, THEN 90 DEGS, THEN 130 DEGS. OBVIOUSLY THE PLAN WAS NOT WELL DEVELOPED. AFTER PASSING ABEAM ARPT AND RWY WHICH WE CALLED IN SIGHT, WE WERE OVERTAKEN FROM BEHIND AND ABOVE BY ACR ACFT Y. HE RPTED US IN SIGHT, AND CORP Z WHICH WAS ON FINAL. ACR Y AT 5000', AND ABOVE US WAS THEN ISSUED CLRED VISUAL APCH TO FOLLOW CORP Z. WE WERE IMMEDIATELY BELOW ACR Y, WHICH WAS CLRED INTO OUR PROTECTED SPACE. WE OBSERVED AND RPTED ACR Y IN SIGHT, THEN WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO FOLLOW Y. THE CTLR FAILED TO PROVIDE PROPER AND ADEQUATE SEP. WE HAD TO TURN AWAY TO AVOID ACR Y AS IT DSNDED. I LATER ADVISED THE CTLR THAT I CONSIDERED THIS AN UNSAFE OPERATION. NO FURTHER COMMENT.

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.

Less than standard separation between 2 commuter aircraft being vectored for visual approach. Operational error.