AN ACR FLC EXPERIENCED AN NMAC WITH A PA34 THAT DSNDED TO THE SAME ALT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID THE ACR. THE CONFLICTING ACFT WAS DSNDING BECAUSE THE PLT THOUGHT THAT THE ACR WAS CLBING. THE ACR WAS ON AN IFR DEP FROM SNA.
Synopsis
AN ACR FLC EXPERIENCED AN NMAC WITH A PA34 THAT DSNDED TO THE SAME ALT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID THE ACR. THE CONFLICTING ACFT WAS DSNDING BECAUSE THE PLT THOUGHT THAT THE ACR WAS CLBING. THE ACR WAS ON AN IFR DEP FROM SNA.
Narrative
WE WERE FLYING THE PUBLISHED DEP HDG OF 175 DEGS WHEN DEP CTLR ASSIGNED 4000 FT DUE TO OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC MAINTAINING 4500 FT. AT OUR LEVELOFF; TCASII HAD A TARGET AT 11 O'CLOCK TO 11:30 POS; PLUS 300 FT ABOVE US. SOON AFTER THAT; TCASII ISSUED A TA; AND ATC GAVE US A R TURN TO 200 DEGS; AND WE THEN GOT A DSND RA. ATC WAS QUIZZING THE OTHER PLT AS OUR TCASII WENT TO INCREASE RATE OF DSCNT. I THEN SAW THE LIGHT TWIN SELECA PASS JUST L OF US; SAME ALT; LESS THAN 500 FT. THE PLT TOLD ATC HE SAW US CLBING TOWARD HIM SO HE DECIDED TO DSND BELOW US RATHER THAN TO MAINTAIN THE 4500 FT ASSIGNED. MY LATE VISUAL CONTACT WAS CAUSED BY GOING INTO THE SUN/HAZE; AS WELL AS SCANNING THE TCASII ALERTS INSIDE THE COCKPIT. FO AS PF SAID HE RESPONDED SLOWLY TO THE FIRST RA DSND SO AS NOT TO OVERBANK THE ACFT. THIS ALSO CAUSED ME TO COME BACK INSIDE THE COCKPIT TO DISCOVER WHAT OUR POS ATTITUDE WAS IN RELATION TO THE TCASII RA INCREASING. THE LIGHT TWIN WAS IN TRANSIT TO VAN NUYS. HE WAS INBOUND ON THE OUTBOUND DEP CORRIDOR WHICH CREATES CONGESTION IN THAT HAZY ENVIRONMENT. SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE BETTER TO CROSS TFC THAN RUN OPPOSITE DIRECTION PARALLEL.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.