Near midair collision occurred between an air carrier MD80 and 5 sky writers. Controller reporter was unaware of the activity and reported not seeing the aircraft or issuing traffic to the air carrier. The air carrier reacted to TCASII RA climb command. See and avoid concept.

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Attributes
ACN	336561
Time
Date	199605
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	336561
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

An air carrier MD80 departed lga airport and was swbound on vectors and checked on my frequency out of approximately 8000 ft climbing to 12000 ft. I put the aircraft on a 230 degree heading. The flight crew questioned me about a fleet of aircraft off his nose. I never saw the sky writers and never issued traffic. The MD80 had a TCASII RA to climb through the sky writers and had them visually. Questioned me about the sky writers. The information I received was the sky writers are told not to seek service. They have mode C, but because of track overlapping, you don't always see their altitude. The MD80 came pretty close in my book, I wish someone had tagged them up, so we know that they were there and their intentions. Maybe they can be contacted and told to call us and at least let us know what's going on. Traffic over nyc is some of the busiest for N90. Also, the conflict alert never went off, if the MD80 didn't have TCASII, they may never had known there were 5 aircraft off his nose.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC OCCURRED BTWN AN ACR MD80 AND 5 SKY WRITERS. CTLR RPTR WAS UNAWARE OF THE ACTIVITY AND RPTED NOT SEEING THE ACFT OR ISSUING TFC TO THE ACR. THE ACR REACTED TO TCASII RA CLB COMMAND. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT.

Narrative: AN ACR MD80 DEPARTED LGA ARPT AND WAS SWBOUND ON VECTORS AND CHKED ON MY FREQ OUT OF APPROX 8000 FT CLBING TO 12000 FT. I PUT THE ACFT ON A 230 DEG HDG. THE FLC QUESTIONED ME ABOUT A FLEET OF ACFT OFF HIS NOSE. I NEVER SAW THE SKY WRITERS AND NEVER ISSUED TFC. THE MD80 HAD A TCASII RA TO CLB THROUGH THE SKY WRITERS AND HAD THEM VISUALLY. QUESTIONED ME ABOUT THE SKY WRITERS. THE INFO I RECEIVED WAS THE SKY WRITERS ARE TOLD NOT TO SEEK SVC. THEY HAVE MODE C, BUT BECAUSE OF TRACK OVERLAPPING, YOU DON'T ALWAYS SEE THEIR ALT. THE MD80 CAME PRETTY CLOSE IN MY BOOK, I WISH SOMEONE HAD TAGGED THEM UP, SO WE KNOW THAT THEY WERE THERE AND THEIR INTENTIONS. MAYBE THEY CAN BE CONTACTED AND TOLD TO CALL US AND AT LEAST LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. TFC OVER NYC IS SOME OF THE BUSIEST FOR N90. ALSO, THE CONFLICT ALERT NEVER WENT OFF, IF THE MD80 DIDN'T HAVE TCASII, THEY MAY NEVER HAD KNOWN THERE WERE 5 ACFT OFF HIS NOSE.

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.