Caravan 208B
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 1300; Flight Crew Type 1000
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Procedure; Human Factors
This was a Part 135 scheduled VFR flight in a Cessna 208B. On our descent into Kahului; HCF has us contact HCF on 119.5. After checking in with HCF 119.5 around the intersection MAKEN; the Controller has us turn to a heading of 280. We leveled off at 5;500 MSL since the vector would be taking us offshore in order to maintain glide distance requirements. After being on the 280 vector for about 5 minutes; we are just northwest of the island of Kaho'olawe when the near miss occurred. The other plane was an airliner which was also being vectored inbound for Kahului. The airliner passed 100 FT horizontal and 0 FT vertical below us. I believe the airliner was on a [360] heading vector. Not once were we advised of the traffic.
HCF gave us a 280 heading around Kaho'olawe (near CAMPS) because we did not have traffic in sight. She then gave us a 360 heading while we were descending from 8;000 FT to 3;000 FT. I noticed TCAS traffic ahead and to our right and pointed it out to the First Officer twice to watch traffic on the TCAS. HCF did not point out traffic to us at that point. We were descending toward them from above and I took over the aircraft; slowed the vertical speed. At that point; my First Officer saw the C208 right above us and I was responding to an RA descend 2;000 FPM descent. The RA showed +1 and within 1/2 mile. We were clear of conflict visually continued approach and landed without incident in Maui.HCF did not tell us about the traffic at all. We had no idea where the C208 was headed; if they were going to climb or descend. She turned us right into them while we were descending. I saw traffic on our TCAS and pointed it out to my First Officer twice. I started slowing our vertical speed because we were converging on the C208 and still did not know where they were. We then got the RA DESCEND and I immediately took the airplane and clicked the autopilot off and flew to the green. I contacted HCF to tell them we were in an RA DESCEND and it was at that same moment my First Officer saw traffic. I could have done something earlier like tell HCF we see traffic on our TCAS and maybe tell the First Officer to shallow turn out or descend. I just assumed that because I mentioned to my First Officer about TCAS traffic that he would do what was necessary to avoid the alert and traffic. Everything happened so fast; we didn't even get a TA. It just went straight to RA.
The two captains and the air traffic Controller involved describe the events leading up to an airborne conflict in HCF airspace.