B737 Flight Crew reported conflict with a pipeline inspection aircraft on short final to Runway 35L at AUS. Conflict was announced by TCAS but not reported by AUS Tower.
Synopsis
B737 Flight Crew reported conflict with a pipeline inspection aircraft on short final to Runway 35L at AUS. Conflict was announced by TCAS but not reported by AUS Tower.
Narrative
While on short final for Runway 35L we got a Traffic Alert at our 10 o'clock position. We assumed since Tower did not inform us of any traffic that it was a helicopter orbiting off our left. To our surprise we saw a small high wing general aviation aircraft in our 10 o'clock position heading directly for us on a base leg. The aircraft appeared to be making an attempt to avoid us by starting a climb. We slightly lowered our nose to also avoid the aircraft but we were limited on how much altitude we could lose since we were already so low to the ground. Once we were sure we would not hit the aircraft; we returned to the correct glideslope angle and landed the aircraft. We questioned Tower about the encounter and that was the first time we heard anything from ATC about the fact that it was a pipeline aircraft that we had gotten close to. We commented to Tower that we had gotten a TCAS Traffic Alert and that it would have been nice to have been told of the pipeline aircraft's position. It did not seem that the Tower Controller was very concerned about the event so I requested a phone number of the Tower Supervisor. I contacted the Tower Supervisor from my hotel room and she said it was the Tower Controller's duty to inform of us of the traffic.
Second reporter narrative
On final approach into AUS for Runway 35L; we received a TCAS Traffic Alert. We looked toward indicated traffic and observed a small civilian aircraft heading toward us at approximately 300 ft AGL and very close. We made sure that we could safely continue the landing and landed uneventfully. After landing we queried the Tower and were told that the aircraft was a pipeline inspection aircraft under Tower authority and was told to pass behind us. We told the Tower that they passed very close and since no Traffic Advisory had been made to us to let us know of the possible conflict; we would definitely appreciate one in the future.The Captain called and talked to the Tower Supervisor after landing and notified the Chief Pilot about the conflict.
More incidents for this aircraft family →
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.