Narrative:

During climb out from departure from ewr, after handoff from departure to center. We received an RA from the TCASII during climb as we reached 7000 ft. Climb clearance was given to a higher altitude which I think was 14000 ft. TCASII is the 'descend' then 'descend now' warnings. I disconnected the autothrottles, pulled both power levers to idle and aggressively nosed the airplane down. During this descent the airspeed increased to 280 KIAS. As we descended through 6000 ft the TCASII changed warnings to monitor vertical speed -- I then started leveling off -- altitude was about 5500 ft. TCASII then issued 'clear of conflict.' during the descent the captain called center, asked if they showed the traffic on radar and told them we descended because of a TCASII RA warning. The controller did not respond on the captain's first call. He repeated the call again to which the controller then answered 'yes you have traffic 1 O'clock at 7500 ft.' (at that time the TCASII had already issued the 'clear of conflict.' captain also mentioned that we showed him at 7000 ft. After receiving the 'clear of conflict,' I started climbing to the originally cleared altitude. I never saw the traffic. The captain said he was close 1/4 mi horizontal and 500 ft vertical. I'm glad I responded quickly to the TCASII command, and were already descending when the captain saw the traffic. If it weren't for TCASII I might have not been able to write you this report. Maybe TCASII is letting some controllers get sloppy. A simple vector could have prevented our flight path intersecting at the same point.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON CLBOUT, MLG HAS TCASII RA.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT FROM DEP FROM EWR, AFTER HDOF FROM DEP TO CTR. WE RECEIVED AN RA FROM THE TCASII DURING CLB AS WE REACHED 7000 FT. CLB CLRNC WAS GIVEN TO A HIGHER ALT WHICH I THINK WAS 14000 FT. TCASII IS THE 'DSND' THEN 'DSND NOW' WARNINGS. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOTHROTTLES, PULLED BOTH PWR LEVERS TO IDLE AND AGGRESSIVELY NOSED THE AIRPLANE DOWN. DURING THIS DSCNT THE AIRSPD INCREASED TO 280 KIAS. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 6000 FT THE TCASII CHANGED WARNINGS TO MONITOR VERT SPD -- I THEN STARTED LEVELING OFF -- ALT WAS ABOUT 5500 FT. TCASII THEN ISSUED 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' DURING THE DSCNT THE CAPT CALLED CTR, ASKED IF THEY SHOWED THE TFC ON RADAR AND TOLD THEM WE DSNDED BECAUSE OF A TCASII RA WARNING. THE CTLR DID NOT RESPOND ON THE CAPT'S FIRST CALL. HE REPEATED THE CALL AGAIN TO WHICH THE CTLR THEN ANSWERED 'YES YOU HAVE TFC 1 O'CLOCK AT 7500 FT.' (AT THAT TIME THE TCASII HAD ALREADY ISSUED THE 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' CAPT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WE SHOWED HIM AT 7000 FT. AFTER RECEIVING THE 'CLR OF CONFLICT,' I STARTED CLBING TO THE ORIGINALLY CLRED ALT. I NEVER SAW THE TFC. THE CAPT SAID HE WAS CLOSE 1/4 MI HORIZ AND 500 FT VERT. I'M GLAD I RESPONDED QUICKLY TO THE TCASII COMMAND, AND WERE ALREADY DSNDING WHEN THE CAPT SAW THE TFC. IF IT WEREN'T FOR TCASII I MIGHT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WRITE YOU THIS RPT. MAYBE TCASII IS LETTING SOME CTLRS GET SLOPPY. A SIMPLE VECTOR COULD HAVE PREVENTED OUR FLT PATH INTERSECTING AT THE SAME POINT.

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.