TCAS Experience

[jax88]

I had an interesting experience while flying from Las Vegas to San Antonio yesterday.  Cruising at 11.5 somewhere in the vicinity of Payson I get a call from ATC indicating a Saratoga at my 10 same altitude heading my direction.  Next I hear ATC warn the pilot of the Saratoga that they have a Mooney at their 1 same altutude heading southeast.  Within seconds the Saratoga responds that they have me on TCAS but can't see me out the window.  Skies are clear but hazy and I had no trouble spotting the Saratoga, come right at me no less.  (Now all this is happening in a matter of seconds mind you) ATC tells the Saratoga "If you can't see the Mooney I suggest you descend immediately." and when I hear this my mind starts racing.  I'm looking at this Saratoga coming right at me knowing he still doesn't see me and the tone of the controller's voice indicates to me that we have a problem.  I decide that if the controller wants the Saratoga to descend, I'm going UP, and I'm going NOW - so I get some back pressure on the control wheel, disengage the autopilot, and pull back for as much climb as I can get at that altitude without inducing a stall.  By now, the co-pilot has awakened from her slumber just in time to see the Saratoga pass within a couple hundred feet below and slightly behind our tail.

Moral of this story THERE IS NO SUBSTITUE FOR BEING ABLE TO LOCATE TRAFFIC OUT THE WINDOW.  All these fancy avionics are great additions to our panels and will undoubtedly add to our situational awareness, but they are only additions to good pilot technique and constant awareness.

[Jerry 5TJ]

Yes, "see and avoid" is still important. 

I also believe it pays to file IFR even in VMC because then ATC should maintain separation and offer earlier traffic warnings.  But keep looking out those windows.

[thinwing]

No doubt the Saratoga pilots tcas was showing a target that he thought was you, probably miles away ,and he had his head in the cockpit concentrating on his tcas display while the real danger was coming at him at a combined closure rate of 300 miles an hour!!!!You were so close that his airframe blanketed his Tcas antenna...I bet he never really had you as a target!!!!whew..kpc

[flight2000]

So this begs the question: Who was at the wrong altitude?   

[jax88]

Not sure either was at the wrong altitude.  I was VFR southeast bound at 11.5.  The Saratoga was likely heading close to due south.  Not really about laying blame, just a reminder not to get stuck inside our cockpits eyeballing all our pretty new toys.

[flight2000]

You're being to nice to the other guy if you were SE bound and he was coming at you from the 10 o'clock position, he's closer to being westbound and should have been at 10.5 or 12.5 if I'm visualizing it correctly.  The Toga pilot sounds like he had his head up in the clouds since he didn't understand the immediate concern from ATC.  Good thing you were both in contact with ATC at the time. 

It's a little nerve racking when you have bigger aircraft flying above or below you with 1K separation.  I've had King Airs fly by and that fills the windscreen, or so it seems anyway.  Imagine fitting another aircraft in there at 500 foot.

[FullyArticulate]

Quote: jerry-N5911Q

I also believe it pays to file IFR even in VMC because then ATC should maintain separation and offer earlier traffic warnings.

[Piloto]

When encountering a situation of high traffic activity or potential mid-air turn the landing lights and strobes on. This will enhance your visibility significantly. A small plane shape can easily blend with the surroundings making it hard to distinguish it even on the ground while taxing.

José

[danb35]

...of course, the strobes should be on all the time anyway...