Narrative:

We were climbing out of cvg en route to cha with cvg departure control. We were given several climb restrs due to inbound traffic to cvg. Finally we were cleared to 16000 ft. The captain acknowledged the climb clearance and set 16000 ft into the altitude preselector. I verified 16000 ft as the correct altitude and initiated a climb (I was hand flying). Departure control advised us of VFR traffic at our 11-12 O'clock position at 8500 ft. The traffic was on our TCASII displays and was indicating a level altitude of 8500 ft. We were passing through 7700 ft as the captain acquired visual contact with the traffic. Cvg departure was not in radio contact with the VFR traffic. Suddenly, the TCASII gave us a RA as 'descend, descend now.' in order to comply, I had to initiate a 4000 FPM descent. Several reasons caused this incident. 1) cvg is still class C airspace even though it has over 600 airline departures (not including arrs) each day. Our traffic was perfectly legal not communicating with ATC. 2) the traffic was a light twin engine aircraft that, while flown VFR in VFR conditions, had a pilot who was not actively looking outside his aircraft. In accordance with our airline's FAA approved operations specifications, all lights, except our taxi light, were on since we were below 10000 ft MSL. The sun did not play a factor due to high overcast cloud conditions present this day. Cvg needs to be brought into class B airspace or else a more stringent type of class C airspace should be established for airports like cvg.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT ACFT CLBING OUT FROM CVG AND UNDER DEP CTL WHO ADVISED FLC OF VFR TFC. FLC ACQUIRED TFC AND HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION FOLLOWING TCASII REGARDING THE TFC. RPTR SAYS ALL PARTIES WERE LEGAL AND THE PROB IS CVG IS STILL CLASSIFIED AS CLASS C INSTEAD OF CLASS B.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING OUT OF CVG ENRTE TO CHA WITH CVG DEP CTL. WE WERE GIVEN SEVERAL CLB RESTRS DUE TO INBOUND TFC TO CVG. FINALLY WE WERE CLRED TO 16000 FT. THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLB CLRNC AND SET 16000 FT INTO THE ALT PRESELECTOR. I VERIFIED 16000 FT AS THE CORRECT ALT AND INITIATED A CLB (I WAS HAND FLYING). DEP CTL ADVISED US OF VFR TFC AT OUR 11-12 O'CLOCK POS AT 8500 FT. THE TFC WAS ON OUR TCASII DISPLAYS AND WAS INDICATING A LEVEL ALT OF 8500 FT. WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 7700 FT AS THE CAPT ACQUIRED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE TFC. CVG DEP WAS NOT IN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE VFR TFC. SUDDENLY, THE TCASII GAVE US A RA AS 'DSND, DSND NOW.' IN ORDER TO COMPLY, I HAD TO INITIATE A 4000 FPM DSCNT. SEVERAL REASONS CAUSED THIS INCIDENT. 1) CVG IS STILL CLASS C AIRSPACE EVEN THOUGH IT HAS OVER 600 AIRLINE DEPS (NOT INCLUDING ARRS) EACH DAY. OUR TFC WAS PERFECTLY LEGAL NOT COMMUNICATING WITH ATC. 2) THE TFC WAS A LIGHT TWIN ENG ACFT THAT, WHILE FLOWN VFR IN VFR CONDITIONS, HAD A PLT WHO WAS NOT ACTIVELY LOOKING OUTSIDE HIS ACFT. IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR AIRLINE'S FAA APPROVED OPS SPECS, ALL LIGHTS, EXCEPT OUR TAXI LIGHT, WERE ON SINCE WE WERE BELOW 10000 FT MSL. THE SUN DID NOT PLAY A FACTOR DUE TO HIGH OVCST CLOUD CONDITIONS PRESENT THIS DAY. CVG NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE OR ELSE A MORE STRINGENT TYPE OF CLASS C AIRSPACE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED FOR ARPTS LIKE CVG.

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.