Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion; Workload
Conflict NMAC; Deviation - Speed All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure; Airport
[We were] descending into the SAF traffic pattern for visual landing right traffic Runway 20. We were still a little above the traffic pattern altitude and descending slightly over 1;000 FPM. Flaps were 20 degrees. I decided to disconnect the autopilot and hand fly the approach as the terrain was not perfectly flat; and I thought it would be easier to adjust altitude if necessary by hand flying. Tower cleared us to land approximately abeam the numbers; but almost immediately retracted the clearance and then cleared a Cessna on left downwind to land. The Cessna pilot stated he would 'circle and follow the traffic;' so Tower recleared us to land Runway 20. The First Officer and I discussed a good turning point for base as I could no longer see the runway. Just prior to turning base; I asked for gear down; flaps 30 and made the turn to base. As I turned; I looked at the TCAS to see where the Cessna was in relation to us. We were at 7;800 FT and descending; and the Cessna was at 7;400 FT and approaching us. I told the First Officer I did not have the traffic; and we both looked outside to visually find the Cessna. We could not locate the Cessna visually so I arrested the descent. I very urgently asked the First Officer if he saw the traffic. About that time we got an RA stating 'arrest vertical descent' with a 2;000 plus FPM climb. I added what I thought was full throttle; and began to climb. As I pulled back on the yoke; the stick shaker activated. I eased the yoke slightly forward to stop the shaker; but could not lower the nose of the aircraft as we needed to climb. About this time the engines were producing full power and we climbed up about 800 FT until the RA cleared. I had remained on the same base heading and same aircraft configuration; and leveled off. I then saw the Cessna passing directly below me. We spoke with Tower about the RA; and requested a left 270 to complete the landing. Tower cleared the maneuver and we landed without further event on Runway 20. It should be noted that the Tower asked the Cessna pilot what he was doing in that area; and he replied that he never saw 'the traffic.'I spoke with the Tower Manager once on the ground and at the gate (face to face); and he stated that right after the Controller had cleared us to land (2nd time); he left his position; and another Controller took over. The second Controller never saw the Cessna; and did not see any conflict until we mentioned the RA. The Tower Manger said he would review the tapes. I believe that this switching of controllers while two aircraft were in opposite downwind approaches was a large contributor to the event. I also believe the Cessna pilot should have been required to state that he had us in site before we were cleared to land. Perhaps we should have looked for the Cessna while on downwind; but to be honest it is not an area that you want both eyes looking for traffic. In the future I will be more diligent in insisting the non-flying pilot make an earlier attempt at visually seeing the traffic at this airport if possible. As for anything we could have done differently to avoid this event; I'm not sure we could have done too much else differently. Things happened fast; and there was confusion about why this aircraft was in our space. Perhaps arresting the descent a little more aggressively; but we had been cleared to land; and were 1;200 or so feet above the ground; we were not expecting an oncoming airplane.
An air carrier flying an SAF Runway 20 visual approach took evasive action to a TCAS RA from a VFR aircraft on a base leg after that pilot reported he would follow the jet but admitted he never had the aircraft in sight.