B767 flight crew flying approach into bravo airspace reported NMAC with another aircraft on approach to parallel runway.
Synopsis
B767 flight crew flying approach into bravo airspace reported NMAC with another aircraft on approach to parallel runway.
Narrative
I was the first officer and Pilot Monitoring on our B767 flight that was cleared for the ILS Runway XXR approach to ZZZ; in night VMC conditions. While established inbound on the localizer; the approach controller advised us of a Cessna on a visual approach; on left base to the parallel runway XXL. After switching to tower; tower also advised us of the Cessna traffic; which I then reported in sight. The tower advised that the Cessna also had us in sight. It seemed to be a very unusual situation; with the Cessna appearing stationary in our left windshield; indicating he was on a direct converging path with us. I made a point to advise the Pilot Flying captain that I definitely had the traffic in sight (as I physically pointed to the Cessna) to aid the captains situational awareness; and I advised that we were on a converging course where the Cessna would be turning final right next to us. The Captain elected to keep the autopilot engaged; and he announced that if we needed to abandon the approach we would turn to the right. He also suggested setting the transponder to TA only; to avoid an RA since we both visually had the landing Cessna in sight; which I accomplished. We did receive a traffic TA; but of course not an RA. The Cessna completed his left turn to final just ahead of our aircraft. I kept my eye directly on him as we passed him at the exact same altitude; at what was an extremely close distance. In my many years of flying I have never been that close to another aircraft in flight before. I estimate we passed the Cessna approximately 200 off his right wing at the same altitude. I do not know the ZZZ ATC rules for simultaneous close parallel approaches to their EXTREMELY close parallel runways (they appear to have about 200 feet of grass between them judging by our Jeppesen AMM (Airport Moving Map) airport diagram display); but I felt that this was an extremely unsafe situation. The controller was relying on a likely private pilots aeronautical skill to turn at the exact right moment; without overshooting his final approach path. That this occurred at night made the visual separation that much more challenging. The successful outcome of this situation absolutely depended on both aircraft exercising extremely precise flight paths; with some luck thrown in.Im not sure if this was a controller error or if this is considered normal ops; but if this is standard practice at this airport; I believe such simultaneous parallel approaches should never be allowed without at least several miles of staggered spacing; even in VMC conditions with both aircraft in sight of each other. The runway spacing is just too tight! I would consider this to have been an extremely close and dangerous near miss.
Second reporter narrative
We were vectored onto the ILS XXR approach; outside of ZZZZZ in VMC. We were told to contact ZZZ tower approximately two miles from ZZZZZ1; we contacted ZZZ tower; tower cleared us to land and shortly after passing ZZZZZ; tower advised us of a Cessna on a base over the tunnel just East of landing on XXL. We had the traffic on TCAS as we looked for the aircraft. While we finished configuring the aircraft for landing. We spotted the Cessna on base. The tower once again inquired if we had the Cessna that is on final insight? The FO/PM (First Officer/Pilot Monitoring) responded that we had the Cessna insight. Both of us had some concerns as we approached the Cessna on the parallel runway. The CPT (Captain) was PF (Pilot Flying) and keep the automation on as we continued the approach to landing. The CPT asked the FO to place the transponder to TA only and discussed if we had to abandon the landing; the CPT/PF would do a slight right bank and climb. We continued the landing uneventfully.The crew discussed the situation in the van going to the hotel. We both had expressed different concerns. In the end the FO wanted to submit a report in hopes to get ATC procedures at ZZZ? Especially on aircraft separation on runways that are very close together.If the safety team would like to have a conversation about this situation or about other airports such as ZZZ1; ZZZ2 etc…because this seems to be normal operating procedures.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.