NMAC BETWEEN ACR LGT ON APCH AND GA SMA.
Synopsis
NMAC BETWEEN ACR LGT ON APCH AND GA SMA.
Narrative
WE WERE CLRED THE BAY VISUAL AT SEA (16R). ON GLIDE SLOPE . ABEAM THE NORTH END OF THE RWYS AT BOEING FIELD (JUST INSIDE THE 'PARK' OUTER MARKER); WE PASSED DIRECTLY OVER A TWIN SMA I IMMEDIATELY ASKED TWR IF THEY HAD SEEN THE TWIN ON RADAR. THEY DID NOT REPLY; AND I ASKED AGAIN. TWR SAID THEY DID NOT SEE THE TFC. I WAS SURPRISED. SO I CALLED TWR; ON THE GND AND ASKED WHY THEY DID NOT SEE OUR TFC. THE TWR SUPERVISOR SAID THAT ATC'S RADAR HAD DIFFICULTY PICKING-UP TFC IF THEY WERE LOW-LEVEL AND IN OUR RELATIVE POSITION ON FINAL. I THINK THAT SEA HAS ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR A MIDAIR COLLISION: INADEQUATE RADAR COVERAGE (INSOFAR AS LOW LEVEL VFR TFC IS CONCERNED). VFR CORRIDOR UNDERLYING THE FLOOR (1600' MSL) OF THE TCA. IN FACT; IT UNDERLIES THE GLIDE SLOPE BY ONLY APPROX 200 VFR TFC DEPARTING NEARBY BOEING FIELD.THE FIELD IS ADJACENT TO THE 16L AND 16R APCH S TO SEA. NO APPARENT COORDINATION BETWEEN TWRS OF EITHER ARPT WHERE BOEING FIELD DEPS CONFLICT WITH ACFT MAKING APCH TO SEAM. RECOMMEND: LOWER TCA TO SURFACE (VICE 1600') ALL ALONG THE 16R ILS FINAL SEQUENCE. GET BETTER RADAR COORDINATION BETWEEN TWR TO PREVENT POTENTIAL CONFLICTS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.