A TCASII RA is flown after ATC gives an advisory of pop-up traffic on which he was receiving intermi...

Attributes
ACN	541197
Time
Date	200203
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	541197
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure

Narrative:

Flying at 6000 ft on new york approach control radar vectors. ATC called pop-up traffic 2-3 mi at 6000 ft with an erratic/intermittent readout. We had multiple TCASII targets and tried to visually identify traffic. ATC again called traffic 1-2 mi with erratic altitude data. I was about to request a turn when the TCASII gave a 'climb, climb' traffic RA. I responded by climbing 200 ft as directed by the TCASII. The first officer told ATC that we were responding to a TCASII RA. The first officer saw the traffic an estimated 1-2 mi to our left and about 200-300 ft below us. After clear of traffic I descended to 6000 ft. ATC was still getting erratic data and was not sure it was an aircraft. First officer told them it was an aircraft and we saw it. ATC was very apologetic and we told them no problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TCASII RA IS FLOWN AFTER ATC GIVES AN ADVISORY OF POP-UP TFC ON WHICH HE WAS RECEIVING INTERMITTENT READOUTS.

Narrative: FLYING AT 6000 FT ON NEW YORK APCH CTL RADAR VECTORS. ATC CALLED POP-UP TFC 2-3 MI AT 6000 FT WITH AN ERRATIC/INTERMITTENT READOUT. WE HAD MULTIPLE TCASII TARGETS AND TRIED TO VISUALLY IDENT TFC. ATC AGAIN CALLED TFC 1-2 MI WITH ERRATIC ALT DATA. I WAS ABOUT TO REQUEST A TURN WHEN THE TCASII GAVE A 'CLB, CLB' TFC RA. I RESPONDED BY CLBING 200 FT AS DIRECTED BY THE TCASII. THE FO TOLD ATC THAT WE WERE RESPONDING TO A TCASII RA. THE FO SAW THE TFC AN ESTIMATED 1-2 MI TO OUR L AND ABOUT 200-300 FT BELOW US. AFTER CLR OF TFC I DSNDED TO 6000 FT. ATC WAS STILL GETTING ERRATIC DATA AND WAS NOT SURE IT WAS AN ACFT. FO TOLD THEM IT WAS AN ACFT AND WE SAW IT. ATC WAS VERY APOLOGETIC AND WE TOLD THEM NO PROB.

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.

A TCASII RA is flown after ATC gives an advisory of pop-up traffic on which he was receiving intermittent readouts.