Air carrier flight crew of medium large transport descending into ewr receives TCASII alert and RA.

Attributes
ACN	426068
Time
Date	199901
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : teb
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Navigation In Use	Other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	426068
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	426329
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 600 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Eno.RBV1 to ewr and being on radar vectors for approach to runway 22L. Distance was approximately 15-20 NM northwest of teb heading approximately 090 degrees at 5000 ft. Initially received traffic alert from TCASII, did not sight aircraft visually. The aircraft was below us. At about the 2 O'clock position and climbing. Due to sun glare on TCASII, could not read the other aircraft altitude. After 5-10 seconds, we then received a TCASII RA telling us to descend. We then initiated a descent that was immediately followed by a TCASII RA telling us to climb. We then initiated the climb, at which time the approach controller told us to stop maneuvering. The controller was very busy during this time and did not mention the aircraft until after our TCASII RA and deviations. After the controller's instruction to stop our climb, the first officer finally got the other plane visually just below about 2 O'clock position on approximately 290 degree heading. We then received clear of conflict message about 5 seconds later. This whole scenario took approximately 20 seconds. Later, 2 passenger inquired about the near miss (they saw the plane) and the deviation maneuver. Considerations: the approach controller was extremely busy with aircraft and we were being vectored way to the northwest of our usual arrival route. It is unclr if the controller knew of this aircraft or its position before our deviation. He either became aware after the fact or was too busy to inform us of the plane's position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC OF MLG DSNDING INTO EWR RECEIVES TCASII ALERT AND RA.

Narrative: ENO.RBV1 TO EWR AND BEING ON RADAR VECTORS FOR APCH TO RWY 22L. DISTANCE WAS APPROX 15-20 NM NW OF TEB HDG APPROX 090 DEGS AT 5000 FT. INITIALLY RECEIVED TFC ALERT FROM TCASII, DID NOT SIGHT ACFT VISUALLY. THE ACFT WAS BELOW US. AT ABOUT THE 2 O'CLOCK POS AND CLBING. DUE TO SUN GLARE ON TCASII, COULD NOT READ THE OTHER ACFT ALT. AFTER 5-10 SECONDS, WE THEN RECEIVED A TCASII RA TELLING US TO DSND. WE THEN INITIATED A DSCNT THAT WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A TCASII RA TELLING US TO CLB. WE THEN INITIATED THE CLB, AT WHICH TIME THE APCH CTLR TOLD US TO STOP MANEUVERING. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY DURING THIS TIME AND DID NOT MENTION THE ACFT UNTIL AFTER OUR TCASII RA AND DEVS. AFTER THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTION TO STOP OUR CLB, THE FO FINALLY GOT THE OTHER PLANE VISUALLY JUST BELOW ABOUT 2 O'CLOCK POS ON APPROX 290 DEG HDG. WE THEN RECEIVED CLR OF CONFLICT MESSAGE ABOUT 5 SECONDS LATER. THIS WHOLE SCENARIO TOOK APPROX 20 SECONDS. LATER, 2 PAX INQUIRED ABOUT THE NEAR MISS (THEY SAW THE PLANE) AND THE DEV MANEUVER. CONSIDERATIONS: THE APCH CTLR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY WITH ACFT AND WE WERE BEING VECTORED WAY TO THE NW OF OUR USUAL ARR RTE. IT IS UNCLR IF THE CTLR KNEW OF THIS ACFT OR ITS POS BEFORE OUR DEV. HE EITHER BECAME AWARE AFTER THE FACT OR WAS TOO BUSY TO INFORM US OF THE PLANE'S POS.

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.