Captain of an air carrier medium large transport leveled off during departure climb after observing another airliner crossing through his heading at the same altitude at which he was climbing through. The TCASII also gave an RA warning to descend just as he leveled off. The other aircraft called ATC to say they were climbing in response to a TCASII RA.

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Attributes
ACN	432715
Time
Date	199904
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport navaid : abb.vortac
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon tower : mem.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	432715
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : fo acft. x
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Departing ewr airport, we received clearance to climb to 8000 ft MSL. At 7500 ft I saw another airliner ahead, moving from right to left through our altitude. I leveled off just as the TCASII commanded a descent. The other aircraft made a call that he had an RA and pulled up into the overcast. Had both of us stayed on course and altitude, it would have been a close call. Maintaining a visual scan helped us avoid a close call even though we were in a 'radar environment.' also, I began my maneuver visually to avoid the apparent conflict. It dawned on me, as I maneuvered, that the aircraft I had visually might not be the aircraft that set off the RA. In the new york environment you could easily maneuver out of one situation into another.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN ACR MLG LEVELED OFF DURING DEP CLB AFTER OBSERVING ANOTHER AIRLINER XING THROUGH HIS HDG AT THE SAME ALT AT WHICH HE WAS CLBING THROUGH. THE TCASII ALSO GAVE AN RA WARNING TO DSND JUST AS HE LEVELED OFF. THE OTHER ACFT CALLED ATC TO SAY THEY WERE CLBING IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA.

Narrative: DEPARTING EWR ARPT, WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO CLB TO 8000 FT MSL. AT 7500 FT I SAW ANOTHER AIRLINER AHEAD, MOVING FROM R TO L THROUGH OUR ALT. I LEVELED OFF JUST AS THE TCASII COMMANDED A DSCNT. THE OTHER ACFT MADE A CALL THAT HE HAD AN RA AND PULLED UP INTO THE OVCST. HAD BOTH OF US STAYED ON COURSE AND ALT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A CLOSE CALL. MAINTAINING A VISUAL SCAN HELPED US AVOID A CLOSE CALL EVEN THOUGH WE WERE IN A 'RADAR ENVIRONMENT.' ALSO, I BEGAN MY MANEUVER VISUALLY TO AVOID THE APPARENT CONFLICT. IT DAWNED ON ME, AS I MANEUVERED, THAT THE ACFT I HAD VISUALLY MIGHT NOT BE THE ACFT THAT SET OFF THE RA. IN THE NEW YORK ENVIRONMENT YOU COULD EASILY MANEUVER OUT OF ONE SIT INTO ANOTHER.

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.