Narrative:

Prior to level off at 10000 ft, phl department advised air carrier X that slower traffic was at our 7 O'clock position climbing to 9500 ft. After level off at 10000 ft, we were cleared direct ptw VOR, maintain 10000 ft and contact ZNY for higher. After acknowledgment and frequency change initial call to ZNY was unanswered then got TCASII TA. Traffic noted at 3 O'clock on screen and climbing 3-4 NM approximately 9000 ft. Shortly thereafter got RA, still unable visual contact. Initial RA was to descend followed by an almost immediate climb command intruding aircraft symbol indicated 2 NM climbing 9600 ft: autoplt was disconnected and throttles advanced, climb initiated, clear of conflict at 10600 ft. Then attempted another call to ZNY told them we were climbing to 11000 ft. ZNY then issued climb clearance to 13000 ft. Shortly thereafter ZNY asked if approach had not advised us of the traffic. We told them they had but never acquired visual until after RA and climb had been initiated. I recommend that controllers not vector aircraft within TCASII RA parameters on the assumption that visual contact will be made prior to RA activation and subsequent evasive action being taken.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII TA RA WITH VFR ACFT. EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT.

Narrative: PRIOR TO LEVEL OFF AT 10000 FT, PHL DEPT ADVISED ACR X THAT SLOWER TFC WAS AT OUR 7 O'CLOCK POS CLBING TO 9500 FT. AFTER LEVEL OFF AT 10000 FT, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT PTW VOR, MAINTAIN 10000 FT AND CONTACT ZNY FOR HIGHER. AFTER ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND FREQ CHANGE INITIAL CALL TO ZNY WAS UNANSWERED THEN GOT TCASII TA. TFC NOTED AT 3 O'CLOCK ON SCREEN AND CLBING 3-4 NM APPROX 9000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER GOT RA, STILL UNABLE VISUAL CONTACT. INITIAL RA WAS TO DSND FOLLOWED BY AN ALMOST IMMEDIATE CLB COMMAND INTRUDING ACFT SYMBOL INDICATED 2 NM CLBING 9600 FT: AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED AND THROTTLES ADVANCED, CLB INITIATED, CLR OF CONFLICT AT 10600 FT. THEN ATTEMPTED ANOTHER CALL TO ZNY TOLD THEM WE WERE CLBING TO 11000 FT. ZNY THEN ISSUED CLB CLRNC TO 13000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER ZNY ASKED IF APCH HAD NOT ADVISED US OF THE TFC. WE TOLD THEM THEY HAD BUT NEVER ACQUIRED VISUAL UNTIL AFTER RA AND CLB HAD BEEN INITIATED. I RECOMMEND THAT CTLRS NOT VECTOR ACFT WITHIN TCASII RA PARAMETERS ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT VISUAL CONTACT WILL BE MADE PRIOR TO RA ACTIVATION AND SUBSEQUENT EVASIVE ACTION BEING TAKEN.

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.