Medium large transport has a conflict with a VFR aircraft proceeded by a TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	200187
Time
Date	199201
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dqo
State Reference	DE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11900 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 18500 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	200187
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared to 17000 direct to dupont VOR. Center advised VFR traffic at 12500 2 O'clock and 5 mis. I said we had him on TCASII and looked outside first officer's side window. I said 'I might have him visually' but couldn't be sure because first officer was flying and proceeding direct dupont VOR as cleared and in turn I lost the traffic I was looking at. First officer proceeded to climb and navigation as cleared when we received a RA on TCASII to monitor vertical speed and limit climb to 500 ft a min. First officer did this and traffic passed overhead us, possibly a bit behind, at 1 point vertical clearance may have been only 600 ft. Very difficult to say because we were proceeding as cleared and only limited climb rate because of TCASII, and we had lost sight of the intruder during the run. I'm not sure that this was a near miss, but feel there was some miscom involved that should be reported for future reference. I believe center should not have put us on a conflicting course with traffic. I don't think VFR traffic should navigation through the philadelphia-dca area, especially in the higher altitudes. I don't think I should have said anything to center except request a vector around the traffic if he thought it was close. Also the center frequency was very busy and the controller obviously had a very heavy workload.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS A CONFLICT WITH A VFR ACFT PROCEEDED BY A TCASII RA.

Narrative: CLRED TO 17000 DIRECT TO DUPONT VOR. CTR ADVISED VFR TFC AT 12500 2 O'CLOCK AND 5 MIS. I SAID WE HAD HIM ON TCASII AND LOOKED OUTSIDE FO'S SIDE WINDOW. I SAID 'I MIGHT HAVE HIM VISUALLY' BUT COULDN'T BE SURE BECAUSE FO WAS FLYING AND PROCEEDING DIRECT DUPONT VOR AS CLRED AND IN TURN I LOST THE TFC I WAS LOOKING AT. FO PROCEEDED TO CLB AND NAV AS CLRED WHEN WE RECEIVED A RA ON TCASII TO MONITOR VERT SPD AND LIMIT CLB TO 500 FT A MIN. FO DID THIS AND TFC PASSED OVERHEAD US, POSSIBLY A BIT BEHIND, AT 1 POINT VERT CLRNC MAY HAVE BEEN ONLY 600 FT. VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY BECAUSE WE WERE PROCEEDING AS CLRED AND ONLY LIMITED CLB RATE BECAUSE OF TCASII, AND WE HAD LOST SIGHT OF THE INTRUDER DURING THE RUN. I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS WAS A NEAR MISS, BUT FEEL THERE WAS SOME MISCOM INVOLVED THAT SHOULD BE RPTED FOR FUTURE REF. I BELIEVE CTR SHOULD NOT HAVE PUT US ON A CONFLICTING COURSE WITH TFC. I DON'T THINK VFR TFC SHOULD NAV THROUGH THE PHILADELPHIA-DCA AREA, ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGHER ALTS. I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE SAID ANYTHING TO CTR EXCEPT REQUEST A VECTOR AROUND THE TFC IF HE THOUGHT IT WAS CLOSE. ALSO THE CTR FREQ WAS VERY BUSY AND THE CTLR OBVIOUSLY HAD A VERY HVY WORKLOAD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.