Narrative:

We were on 'kennebunk' 3 arrival at jfk, after passing 'rober,' descending through 9000 ft, cleared to 8000 ft and under radar control. We had a TA, intruder at 10 O'clock, about 5 NM on TCASII display. I was unable to see the traffic but the controller gave us information about it. At the same time we had an RA 'climb, crossing, climb.' I didn't comply because the approach controller was saying that traffic had us in visual contact and was passing behind. Almost simultaneously the flight engineer, looking down at the TCASII display, called for traffic very close, same altitude, while a second RA 'climb, crossing, climb' was going on. I promptly disengaged the autoplt and I reduced rate of descent. I believe that TCASII has generally positive effects in enhancing flight safety but sometimes too many inputs cause an overload on flight crew and could be difficult to select the right course of actions. I was, in fact, listening to the information at ATC, while TCASII advisories and flight engineer shouting were like backgnd noise but actually very important complementary information I risked to miss.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B747 STOPS ARR DSCNT IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA. TA NOT GIVEN. TFC NOT SIGHTED.

Narrative: WE WERE ON 'KENNEBUNK' 3 ARR AT JFK, AFTER PASSING 'ROBER,' DSNDING THROUGH 9000 FT, CLRED TO 8000 FT AND UNDER RADAR CTL. WE HAD A TA, INTRUDER AT 10 O'CLOCK, ABOUT 5 NM ON TCASII DISPLAY. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE TFC BUT THE CTLR GAVE US INFO ABOUT IT. AT THE SAME TIME WE HAD AN RA 'CLB, XING, CLB.' I DIDN'T COMPLY BECAUSE THE APCH CTLR WAS SAYING THAT TFC HAD US IN VISUAL CONTACT AND WAS PASSING BEHIND. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY THE FE, LOOKING DOWN AT THE TCASII DISPLAY, CALLED FOR TFC VERY CLOSE, SAME ALT, WHILE A SECOND RA 'CLB, XING, CLB' WAS GOING ON. I PROMPTLY DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND I REDUCED RATE OF DSCNT. I BELIEVE THAT TCASII HAS GENERALLY POSITIVE EFFECTS IN ENHANCING FLT SAFETY BUT SOMETIMES TOO MANY INPUTS CAUSE AN OVERLOAD ON FLC AND COULD BE DIFFICULT TO SELECT THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTIONS. I WAS, IN FACT, LISTENING TO THE INFO AT ATC, WHILE TCASII ADVISORIES AND FE SHOUTING WERE LIKE BACKGND NOISE BUT ACTUALLY VERY IMPORTANT COMPLEMENTARY INFO I RISKED TO MISS.

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.