Narrative:

En route VFR from alb direct ewr at 9500' ATC advised to descend to 2000' for vectors for runway 29 at ewr. Due to congestion, ATC told us to circle at 2000' VFR for a slot. After 5 mins ATC cleared us on a 170 degree heading for sequencing. Shortly after, ATC called several targets. Approximately 7 NM nnw of teterboro airport, nj, an small aircraft appeared from nowhere causing us to take drastic avoidance measures. We questioned ATC as to where traffic came from. ATC advised he had no target in our sector. Occupants of small aircraft never saw us until we were on tp of them and pilot froze as we passed him by a rather slim margin. WX was VMC with turbulence. Visibility at the time was 12 mi at ewr. Both crew members in the aircraft were watching for traffic, occupants of small aircraft looked to be carrying on a conversation or preoccupied with something other than watching traffic. Small aircraft was at the base of the TCA with us, although had no permission to enter nor a transponder operating. Our evasive action was a hard-fast roll and climb to the right, small aircraft remained in straight and level until well past us. Tighter constraints need to be placed on general aviation VFR light aircraft passing around and especially under the ny TCA. Instructors need to emphasize 'see and avoid' to their students and BFR customers, education and vigilance are a must for safe operations in this high density area!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX COMMUTER LTT-GA SMA UNDER THE N90 TCA BUT WELL WITHIN THE 30 NM VEIL. NMAC.

Narrative: ENRTE VFR FROM ALB DIRECT EWR AT 9500' ATC ADVISED TO DSND TO 2000' FOR VECTORS FOR RWY 29 AT EWR. DUE TO CONGESTION, ATC TOLD US TO CIRCLE AT 2000' VFR FOR A SLOT. AFTER 5 MINS ATC CLRED US ON A 170 DEG HDG FOR SEQUENCING. SHORTLY AFTER, ATC CALLED SEVERAL TARGETS. APPROX 7 NM NNW OF TETERBORO ARPT, NJ, AN SMA APPEARED FROM NOWHERE CAUSING US TO TAKE DRASTIC AVOIDANCE MEASURES. WE QUESTIONED ATC AS TO WHERE TFC CAME FROM. ATC ADVISED HE HAD NO TARGET IN OUR SECTOR. OCCUPANTS OF SMA NEVER SAW US UNTIL WE WERE ON TP OF THEM AND PLT FROZE AS WE PASSED HIM BY A RATHER SLIM MARGIN. WX WAS VMC WITH TURBULENCE. VISIBILITY AT THE TIME WAS 12 MI AT EWR. BOTH CREW MEMBERS IN THE ACFT WERE WATCHING FOR TFC, OCCUPANTS OF SMA LOOKED TO BE CARRYING ON A CONVERSATION OR PREOCCUPIED WITH SOMETHING OTHER THAN WATCHING TFC. SMA WAS AT THE BASE OF THE TCA WITH US, ALTHOUGH HAD NO PERMISSION TO ENTER NOR A TRANSPONDER OPERATING. OUR EVASIVE ACTION WAS A HARD-FAST ROLL AND CLIMB TO THE RIGHT, SMA REMAINED IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL UNTIL WELL PAST US. TIGHTER CONSTRAINTS NEED TO BE PLACED ON GENERAL AVIATION VFR LIGHT ACFT PASSING AROUND AND ESPECIALLY UNDER THE NY TCA. INSTRUCTORS NEED TO EMPHASIZE 'SEE AND AVOID' TO THEIR STUDENTS AND BFR CUSTOMERS, EDUCATION AND VIGILANCE ARE A MUST FOR SAFE OPERATIONS IN THIS HIGH DENSITY AREA!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.