Narrative:

While cruise at FL290, working with ZNY, we had been given clearance to deviation east of the airway due to thunderstorms. We had only deviated from the airway for 3 or 4 mi. We were given an en route frequency from VHF 132.87 to 128.57. The sector was extremely busy from the sound of the controller. We do not believe at this time that we had had a chance to check in with the new sector controller. At that time the onboard TCASII system gave us a 'TA' and showed traffic at our altitude, 12 O'clock position. 20 mi range and closing. At this time the controller called us telling us to make a left turn and descend, however, at the same time the TCASII system had gone into a 'resolution' mode commanding an immediate climb. I had initiated an immediate climbing left turn and climbed to FL295. The conflicting traffic also reported that his TCASII had commanded a descent. After initiating the avoidance maneuver, I visually acquired the conflicting traffic at our 1 O'clock position approximately 4 mi. With our relative positions, the climb and left turn was the best avenue for avoidance. I feel the controller may have been overloaded with traffic and WX. We had been getting stepped down from cruise altitude and been given numerous heading changes and route changes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG IN CLASS A AIRSPACE HAS TCASII RA.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISE AT FL290, WORKING WITH ZNY, WE HAD BEEN GIVEN CLRNC TO DEV E OF THE AIRWAY DUE TO TSTMS. WE HAD ONLY DEVIATED FROM THE AIRWAY FOR 3 OR 4 MI. WE WERE GIVEN AN ENRTE FREQ FROM VHF 132.87 TO 128.57. THE SECTOR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY FROM THE SOUND OF THE CTLR. WE DO NOT BELIEVE AT THIS TIME THAT WE HAD HAD A CHANCE TO CHK IN WITH THE NEW SECTOR CTLR. AT THAT TIME THE ONBOARD TCASII SYS GAVE US A 'TA' AND SHOWED TFC AT OUR ALT, 12 O'CLOCK POS. 20 MI RANGE AND CLOSING. AT THIS TIME THE CTLR CALLED US TELLING US TO MAKE A L TURN AND DSND, HOWEVER, AT THE SAME TIME THE TCASII SYS HAD GONE INTO A 'RESOLUTION' MODE COMMANDING AN IMMEDIATE CLB. I HAD INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE CLBING L TURN AND CLBED TO FL295. THE CONFLICTING TFC ALSO RPTED THAT HIS TCASII HAD COMMANDED A DSCNT. AFTER INITIATING THE AVOIDANCE MANEUVER, I VISUALLY ACQUIRED THE CONFLICTING TFC AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS APPROX 4 MI. WITH OUR RELATIVE POSITIONS, THE CLB AND L TURN WAS THE BEST AVENUE FOR AVOIDANCE. I FEEL THE CTLR MAY HAVE BEEN OVERLOADED WITH TFC AND WX. WE HAD BEEN GETTING STEPPED DOWN FROM CRUISE ALT AND BEEN GIVEN NUMEROUS HDG CHANGES AND RTE CHANGES.

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.