DSNDING VISUAL APCH TO DCA; RPTR AND ACR Y COMMANDED ERRONEOUSLY BY TCASII RA.

Date: 1994-08 · Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing · Phase: approach

Anomalies: conflict-airborne-conflict|other-unspecified

Synopsis

DSNDING VISUAL APCH TO DCA; RPTR AND ACR Y COMMANDED ERRONEOUSLY BY TCASII RA.

Narrative

ACR X FLT 0001 ARRIVING FROM AML VOR ON 070 DEG HDG; DSNDING TO 4000 FT TO INTERCEPT POTOMAC RIVER VISUALLY. ACR Y FLT 0002 ARRIVING FROM BAL 255 DEG RADIAL DSNDING FROM 6000 FT TO 3000 FT TO INTERCEPT POTOMAC RIVER VISUALLY. BOTH ACFT WERE TO TURN S AND FOLLOW RIVER TO DCA. WHILE DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 4500 FT; WE GOT AN RA TO DSND AT 2000 FPM. MEANWHILE; ACR Y GOT RA TO CLB. MY FO SIGHTED THE ACR Y B-737 AND INSTRUCTED ME TO LEVEL OFF. THE ACR Y FO SIGHTED US AND INSTRUCTED HIS CAPT TO INCREASE DSCNT RATE TO AVOID A COLLISION. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH ALL PLTS INVOLVED AND DCA AREA MGR WORKING RADAR; IT WAS AGREED THAT; IF BOTH ACFT FOLLOWED THE COMMANDED RA; THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A MIDAIR COLLISION. INITIAL RA CAME WHEN ACR Y WAS 100 FT BELOW US AS WE WERE BOTH DSNDING. OUR RATE OF DSCNT WAS 1000 FPM. B-737 WAS DSNDING AT 2500 FPM WITH GEAR; FLAPS; AND SPD BRAKES DEPLOYED. THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CLB IN THAT CONFIGN. IN THIS INSTANCE; THE TCASII RA WAS WRONG. JET ARRS FROM BAL VOR SHOULD BE LEVEL PRIOR TO INTERCEPTING THE POTOMAC RIVER AT 3000 FT IF WE ARE TO INTERCEPT AT 4000 FT.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.