EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Other / Unknown
Conflict NMAC
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure
During our initial descent we heard another aircraft (EMB135) switching Approach.  We were switched in time to hear him cleared for a visual approach; cleared to land Runway 22; cautioned to 'keep it in tight; you have an Embraer 145 right behind you'. That was us. ATC cleared us first to 3000 FT and vectored us around ; then down to 2500 FT (as I remember); asked if we had the field; then cleared us to land behind the other aircraft.  We got the yellow tcas warn; which went almost immediately to red (I looked up and saw the landing lights of another aircraft just as the tcas gave us the 'climb; climb.) my First Officer immediately applied full power and abruptly rotated the aircraft nose high; as ATC called to tell us to climb to 3000 FT.  We told him we had the other aircraft in sight; and he had missed us by 200 FT. in fact; passengers on the right side saw the other aircraft pass just below us. we were told to maintain separation from the other aircraft; then cleared to land rwy 22. The other aircraft strayed WELL out side the area where ATC had cleared him to operate; failed to keep a proper lookout; and appeared completely unaware of his surroundings. (In addition; he almost collided with us during taxi out from the station when he had been cleared to taxi behind us; he appeared to want to 'race' us to the runway.) In general a pretty amateurish display that could have cost lives.
EMB145 Captain reports a NMAC with an EMB135 during a visual approach. The EMB145 crew complied with a TCAS RA to climb and avoided the nearly head on EMB135 which apparently did not comply with an ATC clearance to 'keep it in tight'.