Narrative:

We were flying the homey arrival into pbi. Approximately 40 mi northwest of phk, ATC cleared us direct phk direct pbi and called VFR traffic at 2 O'clock low. I looked down and saw a medium large transport about 10000 ft below us. I answered that I had the traffic insight, but I thought he cleared us direct homey. He returned with 'cleared direct pahokee direct west palm, cross 15 mi north of pahokee at 15000 traffic permitting.' I still thought he was clearing us direct homey, so I readback the clearance only saying direct homey. He answered 'readback correct, except cleared direct pahokee.' finally understood, but in the process lost the traffic. We continued our descent. At 17000, approximately 24 DME northwest of phk, the TCASII came up with a 'climb' RA and commenced a 2000 FPM climb. The vsi showed a red target 1500 ft away. We climbed in compliance with the RA and advised ATC. The 'climb' RA continued and the traffic got as close as 1000 ft indicated on the vsi target. We then saw the medium large transport out the left window at our altitude. Center said that he was in a VFR climb. He finally saw us and banked hard to the left. The TCASII gave us the 'clear of conflict' message shortly thereafter. I was very surprised to see an aircraft doing a VFR climb in such a busy funnel of airspace, but I shouldn't have let myself get so wrapped up in the radios to the point that I lost sight of the traffic. I was also surprised that the controller never said anything to us while he watched our targets merge. TCASII works. In this situation, it could have very well saved us and our passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS CONFLICT WITH TFC SIGHTED THEN LOST.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING THE HOMEY ARR INTO PBI. APPROX 40 MI NW OF PHK, ATC CLRED US DIRECT PHK DIRECT PBI AND CALLED VFR TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK LOW. I LOOKED DOWN AND SAW A MLG ABOUT 10000 FT BELOW US. I ANSWERED THAT I HAD THE TFC INSIGHT, BUT I THOUGHT HE CLRED US DIRECT HOMEY. HE RETURNED WITH 'CLRED DIRECT PAHOKEE DIRECT W PALM, CROSS 15 MI N OF PAHOKEE AT 15000 TFC PERMITTING.' I STILL THOUGHT HE WAS CLRING US DIRECT HOMEY, SO I READBACK THE CLRNC ONLY SAYING DIRECT HOMEY. HE ANSWERED 'READBACK CORRECT, EXCEPT CLRED DIRECT PAHOKEE.' FINALLY UNDERSTOOD, BUT IN THE PROCESS LOST THE TFC. WE CONTINUED OUR DSCNT. AT 17000, APPROX 24 DME NW OF PHK, THE TCASII CAME UP WITH A 'CLB' RA AND COMMENCED A 2000 FPM CLB. THE VSI SHOWED A RED TARGET 1500 FT AWAY. WE CLBED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE RA AND ADVISED ATC. THE 'CLB' RA CONTINUED AND THE TFC GOT AS CLOSE AS 1000 FT INDICATED ON THE VSI TARGET. WE THEN SAW THE MLG OUT THE L WINDOW AT OUR ALT. CTR SAID THAT HE WAS IN A VFR CLB. HE FINALLY SAW US AND BANKED HARD TO THE L. THE TCASII GAVE US THE 'CLR OF CONFLICT' MESSAGE SHORTLY THEREAFTER. I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO SEE AN ACFT DOING A VFR CLB IN SUCH A BUSY FUNNEL OF AIRSPACE, BUT I SHOULDN'T HAVE LET MYSELF GET SO WRAPPED UP IN THE RADIOS TO THE POINT THAT I LOST SIGHT OF THE TFC. I WAS ALSO SURPRISED THAT THE CTLR NEVER SAID ANYTHING TO US WHILE HE WATCHED OUR TARGETS MERGE. TCASII WORKS. IN THIS SITUATION, IT COULD HAVE VERY WELL SAVED US AND OUR PAX.

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.