RPTR ALLEGES LATE HDOFS CAUSED EVENTS REGARDING SEQUENCING SPACING BTWN RPTR'S LR35 AND A SLOW CESSNA REQUIRING THE LR35 TO GAR WHICH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FOLLOWED BY AN NMAC WITH ANOTHER LR35. RPTR ALLEGES THE LR35 WAS NOT IN COM WITH OR HAD BEEN HANDED OFF TO THE TWR. EVASIVE ACTION WAS REQUIRED TO AVOID THE LR35.

Date: 1997-09 · Aircraft: Learjet 35

Anomalies: conflict-nmac|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|other-unspecified

Synopsis

RPTR ALLEGES LATE HDOFS CAUSED EVENTS REGARDING SEQUENCING SPACING BTWN RPTR'S LR35 AND A SLOW CESSNA REQUIRING THE LR35 TO GAR WHICH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FOLLOWED BY AN NMAC WITH ANOTHER LR35. RPTR ALLEGES THE LR35 WAS NOT IN COM WITH OR HAD BEEN HANDED OFF TO THE TWR. EVASIVE ACTION WAS REQUIRED TO AVOID THE LR35.

Narrative

THIS PROB AROSE AS WE APCHED SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE ARPT ON A VISUAL APCH; CAUSING 2 SIGNIFICANT EVENTS. BOTH WERE PRIMARILY CAUSED BY LATE HDOFS FROM APCH CTL TO THE TWR; PLUS INADEQUATE ATTN PAID BY TWR OPERATORS TO INCOMING TFC ON THE RADAR SCREEN -- TAGGED FOR SAC. FIRST EVENT: SACRAMENTO APCH HANDED US OFF TO TWR ON APPROX A 3 MI FINAL. THE TWR HAD CESSNA TFC (SLOW) ON FINAL -- WE WERE INITIALLY CLRED TO LAND; BUT I PREPARED FOR A GAR AS IT WAS CLRLY NECESSARY. TWR THEN CALLED FOR A GAR TO L TFC; AND WE COMPLIED. SECOND EVENT AND NEAR MISS: ON BASE LEG TO RWY 20; WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. MOMENTS AFTER THAT WE SPOTTED ANOTHER LEAR 35 ON FINAL ON A COLLISION COURSE. I TURNED R TO AVOID -- MISSING THE OTHER LEAR BY ABOUT 300 FT HORIZLY; 0 FT VERTLY. HAD WE NOT SEEN THIS OTHER ACFT; A COLLISION WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKELY IN ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS. SHORTLY AFTER WE SAW THIS ACFT ON FINAL; THE TWR ESTABLISHED COMS WITH THEM AND TOLD THEM TO GO AROUND AND TURN R. BUT THAT WAS AFTER THE PROBABLE COLLISION POINT. MY COPLT AND I WENT UP TO THE TWR CAB TO EXPLAIN HOW SERIOUS THIS WAS AND TO ASCERTAIN A CAUSE AND A WAY TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE. THE TWR MGR SAID THAT BOTH OUR LEAR AND THE NEXT ONE WERE HANDED OFF LATE FROM APCH CTL; AND PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF THE SECOND LEAR; RADIO COM WAS NOT ESTABLISHED IN TIME TO SEPARATE TFC. BUT; OBVIOUSLY; THE TWR DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT LEAR WAS THERE UNTIL IT CALLED THE TWR. THE TWR DID NOT INFORM US OF THIS TFC; AND INDEED; HAD CLRED US TO LAND. LACK OF COORD BTWN APCH CTL AND THE TWR NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION. PLUS; INATTENTION BY THE TWR CREW TO THEIR RADAR SCREENS. THE TWR IS NOW PRIVATELY OPERATED. THERE SEEMS TO BE A TURF BATTLE BTWN THE FAA APCH CTL FACILITY AND THIS NON- FAA TWR; CONTRIBUTING TO DANGEROUS ATC PRACTICES. I BELIEVE A TRAGIC ACCIDENT IS INEVITABLE AT SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE. I HAVE RECOMMENDED TO OUR COMPANY THAT WE NO LONGER FLY INTO THIS ARPT. AS PIC; I KNOW I WILL NOT.

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