Saab 340 flight crew receives RA during initial approach to jfk.

Attributes
ACN	553163
Time
Date	200207
Day	Wed
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : n90.tracon
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	553163
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from bdl to jfk, approach vectored us into 2 climbing aircraft. Approach told us to turn to heading 220 degrees. As we rolled out, we received an RA to descend. I disengaged the autoplt and started to descend. We were at 4000 ft MSL when we received the RA. As we started to descend, I observed the traffic on the TCASII display to be at 3900 ft MSL and climbing with another aircraft directly behind the first aircraft also climbing out of 3600 ft MSL. We slowed the descent as the first aircraft climbed through our altitude. The second aircraft was directly below us and climbing. The TCASII was telling us to descend but we could not as we were right in between both aircraft at very close range. I turned left and the second aircraft climbed through our altitude. We continued the descent at that point as the RA was still calling for a descent. We leveled off at 3000 ft MSL. The ATC frequency through all of this was maxed out with a lot of aircraft/controller communications. We could not get a word in. At 3000 ft MSL, the controller questioned us and we advised we were responding to an RA. The controller never gave any warning of the 2 climbing aircraft and turned us directly into their climbing flight path. After the incident the controller turned us back to jfk and the 2 RA aircraft continued to climb off to the ssw. Note: we had the first aircraft visually after he climbed through our altitude. We never saw the second aircraft except on the TCASII display.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SAAB 340 FLC RECEIVES RA DURING INITIAL APCH TO JFK.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM BDL TO JFK, APCH VECTORED US INTO 2 CLBING ACFT. APCH TOLD US TO TURN TO HDG 220 DEGS. AS WE ROLLED OUT, WE RECEIVED AN RA TO DSND. I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND STARTED TO DSND. WE WERE AT 4000 FT MSL WHEN WE RECEIVED THE RA. AS WE STARTED TO DSND, I OBSERVED THE TFC ON THE TCASII DISPLAY TO BE AT 3900 FT MSL AND CLBING WITH ANOTHER ACFT DIRECTLY BEHIND THE FIRST ACFT ALSO CLBING OUT OF 3600 FT MSL. WE SLOWED THE DSCNT AS THE FIRST ACFT CLBED THROUGH OUR ALT. THE SECOND ACFT WAS DIRECTLY BELOW US AND CLBING. THE TCASII WAS TELLING US TO DSND BUT WE COULD NOT AS WE WERE RIGHT IN BTWN BOTH ACFT AT VERY CLOSE RANGE. I TURNED L AND THE SECOND ACFT CLBED THROUGH OUR ALT. WE CONTINUED THE DSCNT AT THAT POINT AS THE RA WAS STILL CALLING FOR A DSCNT. WE LEVELED OFF AT 3000 FT MSL. THE ATC FREQ THROUGH ALL OF THIS WAS MAXED OUT WITH A LOT OF ACFT/CTLR COMS. WE COULD NOT GET A WORD IN. AT 3000 FT MSL, THE CTLR QUESTIONED US AND WE ADVISED WE WERE RESPONDING TO AN RA. THE CTLR NEVER GAVE ANY WARNING OF THE 2 CLBING ACFT AND TURNED US DIRECTLY INTO THEIR CLBING FLT PATH. AFTER THE INCIDENT THE CTLR TURNED US BACK TO JFK AND THE 2 RA ACFT CONTINUED TO CLB OFF TO THE SSW. NOTE: WE HAD THE FIRST ACFT VISUALLY AFTER HE CLBED THROUGH OUR ALT. WE NEVER SAW THE SECOND ACFT EXCEPT ON THE TCASII DISPLAY.

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.