CL-350 flight crew reported a near miss with another aircraft while on approach in airport traffic pattern.
Synopsis
CL-350 flight crew reported a near miss with another aircraft while on approach in airport traffic pattern.
Narrative
Left downwind visual Runway XX. Traffic advisory from the Tower: 'traffic 10 O'clock; one mile; 2400 feet.' The FO was monitoring traffic while I was flying. The FO advised me to stop the descent and level a few hundred feet above the traffic. Tower advised the other traffic of us and he reported us in sight and advised the Tower that he was maintaining visual separation. He was told to pass behind us. An RA sounded with a command to descend. I saw the traffic briefly at 10 O'clock at about the same altitude and I estimate the distance about 2;000 feet horizontally . When I heard the RA I was looking at the red and green markings on the PFD (Primary Flight Display) and beginning to respond when I saw that the FO already had the controls in his hands and was executing a very abrupt and aggressive evasive maneuver descending and turning right. I realized that he was not just responding to the RA but to what he was seeing through the windshield. I made the decision to allow the FO to continue flying. The FO later told me that he saw the traffic at the same altitude at about 200 feet horizontally and closing quickly. About 10 seconds into the abrupt descent ; the TCAS quickly changed guidance commanding a climb. At this; we both grabbed the yoke at the same time; pitching up abruptly. After we were clear of conflict we asked for the RNAV instrument approach. After the flight I explained to the passengers what had happened and we called the Tower on the phone and discussed the incident.Suggestions: In hindsight; if I could have done anything differently it would have been to stop my descent much earlier on my downwind; knowing that traffic was there. I also could have asked the Tower for a vector for traffic. I think going forward I will ask for an instrument approach as often as possible and do a visual approach only when I have to.
Second reporter narrative
Person A is Captain; PIC; and pilot flying. I am SIC and pilot monitoring.We were talking to Approach Control and flying east towards our destination ZZZ. As we were on an extended left downwind for Runway XX; Approach cleared us for the visual Runway XX and to contact Tower.I switch to ZZZ Tower frequency and report that we are left down on the visual for Runway XX. I see traffic ahead of us and below our altitude on TCAS. Tower tries twice to contact the aircraft (Cherokee Lance) that just departed ZZZ and is now flying southbound. Tower gives us a traffic alert 'Aircraft X; Traffic 10 o'clock 1 mile southbound 2400 ft indicated; a Cessna.'At this point we are at 2;600 feet and descending. As we are descending to our designated traffic pattern altitude of 2;200 feet (chosen because the FAF is 2;200); I see the potential collision course and then hear Tower's traffic alert about the 'Cessna' (really a Cherokee) at 2;400 feet. I tell Person A; 'stop descending.' I wasn't sure he heard me so I said it louder a second time.I was never able to make visual contact with the other aircraft. I was worried we were not leveling off quick enough so I took controls and turned off the autopilot to level off. Almost simultaneously; we receive a TCAS RA telling us to descend. I push down on the yolk and say my controls. The RA immediately changes to a climb now resolution - with the green target line at the top of the VSI. I pull back on the yolk and aggressively throw in power.Once stabilized; I give back controls and suggest we do the RNAV XX; to which Person A agrees. We switch back to Departure frequency. We were assigned 'climb and maintain 3000.' After everything that happened; I notice additional traffic 3-4 miles 12 o'clock and same altitude. The frequency is very congested; but I finally am able to ask Departure Controller about this traffic. He responds with issuing us a vector to the north and then onto the approach. Eventually we are back with Tower. We're on short final; maybe 300 feet AGL before we are cleared to land.I listened to the tapes and the transcript is as follows:XA:51zAircraft X: 'Tower Aircraft X on left downwind; visual XX'*Tower immediately tries to get a hold of Aircraft YTower: 'Aircraft Y you up'Tower: Aircraft Y; Lannister Tower"*Tower called Aircraft Y twice; the second time it sounds like he mistakenly used the wrong call sign. No response from that aircraft.Tower: 'Aircraft X; Traffic 10 o'clock 1 mile southbound 2400 ft indicated; a Cessna'Aircraft X: 'Yes sir we're looking'Towers calls Aircraft Y again.Tower: 'Aircraft Y; ZZZ Tower.'Aircraft Y: 'I have that traffic in sight will maintain visual'Tower: "Roger pass behind that traffic"(*I believe this is around where we begin responding to the TCAS RA)Tower: 'Aircraft X that traffic has you in sight'Aircraft Y: 'We'll pass behind them for Aircraft Y'Tower: 'Aircraft X Just report when you're turning base for Runway XX"Aircraft X: "Yes sir we're on downwind now'Tower: 'Roger that'Some things I noticed- there was a Tower Controller change prior to us checking on. Perhaps the new controller was not properly briefed. The Cherokee not responding to Tower. We did not receive a TCAS TA before the RA. Our initial RA was to descend; but then corrected to a climb RA because the Cherokee also began descending (I think the Cherokee dove down almost simultaneously as we began responding to the initial descend RA).Suggestions: Captain and I called and spoke to the Tower Controller once on the ground. We were both shocked by how he brushed off this incident; noting how it's just a busy airport and these things happen all the time there. This should not be the norm and I don't think this controller knows how close this was to a mid-air collision. Listening to the tapes; the controller did not have much time to act; especially because the Cherokee did not respond to his initial calls. Additionally; we did accept a visualapproach and we understand the added responsibility that comes with this. However; I would maybe expect more situational awareness and traffic separation by the Tower."
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.