Air carrier has TCASII RA and TA. Levels off to avoid.

Attributes
ACN	221471
Time
Date	199209
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bsv
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : pit
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	221471
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 4000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While climbing through 8000 ft to assigned altitude of 14000 ft, pit departure called VFR traffic 12 O'clock, close range and 9500 ft. Sky was hazy and he was not on our TCASII. We reduced our rate of climb and the target appeared at 12 O'clock and 2 1/2 mi on TCASII. We leveled off at 9000 ft and received a descend RA. I saw him pass off our left wing slightly above and about 3/4 mi. We were then handed off to cle center. Cle informed us that he had passed the VFR TA to pit departure. In the ATC system today the most dangerous airspace that I can imagine is that just outside and above a TCA. All VFR traffic with VFR rated pilots and those not wishing to participate in radar separation are sandwiched between 8000 and 12500. Those not equipped with mode C transponders are packed between 10000 and 12500. 10000 ft is where the FAA allows relaxed cabin atmosphere, nonsterile cockpit and exterior lights off. Additionally this is an area where airspace responsibility changes hands from departure/arrival to center. Numerous handoffs and much coordination is required. I have long felt this to be one of those focal points of weakness which is a massive accident waiting to happen.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS TCASII RA AND TA. LEVELS OFF TO AVOID.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING THROUGH 8000 FT TO ASSIGNED ALT OF 14000 FT, PIT DEP CALLED VFR TFC 12 O'CLOCK, CLOSE RANGE AND 9500 FT. SKY WAS HAZY AND HE WAS NOT ON OUR TCASII. WE REDUCED OUR RATE OF CLB AND THE TARGET APPEARED AT 12 O'CLOCK AND 2 1/2 MI ON TCASII. WE LEVELED OFF AT 9000 FT AND RECEIVED A DSND RA. I SAW HIM PASS OFF OUR L WING SLIGHTLY ABOVE AND ABOUT 3/4 MI. WE WERE THEN HANDED OFF TO CLE CTR. CLE INFORMED US THAT HE HAD PASSED THE VFR TA TO PIT DEP. IN THE ATC SYS TODAY THE MOST DANGEROUS AIRSPACE THAT I CAN IMAGINE IS THAT JUST OUTSIDE AND ABOVE A TCA. ALL VFR TFC WITH VFR RATED PLTS AND THOSE NOT WISHING TO PARTICIPATE IN RADAR SEPARATION ARE SANDWICHED BTWN 8000 AND 12500. THOSE NOT EQUIPPED WITH MODE C TRANSPONDERS ARE PACKED BTWN 10000 AND 12500. 10000 FT IS WHERE THE FAA ALLOWS RELAXED CABIN ATMOSPHERE, NONSTERILE COCKPIT AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS OFF. ADDITIONALLY THIS IS AN AREA WHERE AIRSPACE RESPONSIBILITY CHANGES HANDS FROM DEP/ARR TO CTR. NUMEROUS HDOFS AND MUCH COORD IS REQUIRED. I HAVE LONG FELT THIS TO BE ONE OF THOSE FOCAL POINTS OF WEAKNESS WHICH IS A MASSIVE ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

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.