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Air carrier first officer incurs TCASII RA on downwind vector to ewr runway 4R off the shaff arrival at 5000 ft approximately same time of N90 traffic alert. Reporter suggests ewr class B expansion to limit similar alerts.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 615020 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200404 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ewr.airport |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : student pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure |
| Primary Problem | Airspace Structure |
Narrative:
Arriving into ewr on the shaff arrival and receiving vectors for a downwind to runway 4R on a clear VFR day, we had a TCASII RA at the same time that ATC called out the traffic which had popped up after not being displayed. It first appeared as a yellow circle right on the nose, then in a second, went to an RA as ATC was saying 'you have traffic, your altitude, coming right at you.' we complied with the RA and the monitoring pilot observed the traffic. In discussing this with a few other pilots, they have had similar experiences in this location. It is at the edge of class B, about 5 mi west of morristown, at 5000 ft. I wonder if class B needs to be expanded out, or if the downwind could be kept in tighter to avoid VFR pilots who intentionally or inadvertently penetrate the airspace?
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR FO INCURS TCASII RA ON DOWNWIND VECTOR TO EWR RWY 4R OFF THE SHAFF ARR AT 5000 FT APPROX SAME TIME OF N90 TFC ALERT. RPTR SUGGESTS EWR CLASS B EXPANSION TO LIMIT SIMILAR ALERTS.
Narrative: ARRIVING INTO EWR ON THE SHAFF ARR AND RECEIVING VECTORS FOR A DOWNWIND TO RWY 4R ON A CLR VFR DAY, WE HAD A TCASII RA AT THE SAME TIME THAT ATC CALLED OUT THE TFC WHICH HAD POPPED UP AFTER NOT BEING DISPLAYED. IT FIRST APPEARED AS A YELLOW CIRCLE RIGHT ON THE NOSE, THEN IN A SECOND, WENT TO AN RA AS ATC WAS SAYING 'YOU HAVE TFC, YOUR ALT, COMING RIGHT AT YOU.' WE COMPLIED WITH THE RA AND THE MONITORING PLT OBSERVED THE TFC. IN DISCUSSING THIS WITH A FEW OTHER PLTS, THEY HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES IN THIS LOCATION. IT IS AT THE EDGE OF CLASS B, ABOUT 5 MI W OF MORRISTOWN, AT 5000 FT. I WONDER IF CLASS B NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED OUT, OR IF THE DOWNWIND COULD BE KEPT IN TIGHTER TO AVOID VFR PLTS WHO INTENTIONALLY OR INADVERTENTLY PENETRATE THE AIRSPACE?
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.