DC9 flight crew landing hpn experienced TCAS RA at 5000 ft while of radar vectors with N90 TRACON.

Attributes
ACN	632366
Time
Date	200409
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : dpk.vor
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 10
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 9500
ASRS Report	632366
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

On vectors to downwind for runway 34 at hpn, given a turn to 90 degrees from our current heading of 190 degrees. About 130 degrees, we noticed traffic enter the top of the TCAS display showing -03. Almost immediately we received an RA stating to vertical speed showing red from zero and below, no reference on the ivsi. We continued the turn looking for the traffic. Thereafter we received an RA commanding 'climb, climb now' with green portion of the scale beginning at +2000 ft, red below on climbed to 6000 ft while the traffic passed within a half mi right. We never saw the traffic (although one of our flight attendants later reported seeing it go by when she felt the RA climb and looked out. The approach controller appeared to be unaware of the traffic, clearing us as we were initiating the RA climb maneuver. When asked about traffic, he stated he was aware of it and was attempting to get radar of it. He sounded saturated. Never advised us of the traffic he was supposedly working us around.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 FLT CREW LNDG HPN EXPERIENCED TCAS RA AT 5000 FT WHILE OF RADAR VECTORS WITH N90 TRACON.

Narrative: ON VECTORS TO DOWNWIND FOR RWY 34 AT HPN, GIVEN A TURN TO 90 DEGS FROM OUR CURRENT HDG OF 190 DEGS. ABOUT 130 DEGS, WE NOTICED TFC ENTER THE TOP OF THE TCAS DISPLAY SHOWING -03. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WE RECEIVED AN RA STATING TO VERT SPD SHOWING RED FROM ZERO AND BELOW, NO REF ON THE IVSI. WE CONTINUED THE TURN LOOKING FOR THE TFC. THEREAFTER WE RECEIVED AN RA COMMANDING 'CLB, CLB NOW' WITH GREEN PORTION OF THE SCALE BEGINNING AT +2000 FT, RED BELOW ON CLBED TO 6000 FT WHILE THE TFC PASSED WITHIN A HALF MI R. WE NEVER SAW THE TFC (ALTHOUGH ONE OF OUR FLT ATTENDANTS LATER RPTED SEEING IT GO BY WHEN SHE FELT THE RA CLB AND LOOKED OUT. THE APCH CTLR APPEARED TO BE UNAWARE OF THE TFC, CLRING US AS WE WERE INITIATING THE RA CLB MANEUVER. WHEN ASKED ABOUT TFC, HE STATED HE WAS AWARE OF IT AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET RADAR OF IT. HE SOUNDED SATURATED. NEVER ADVISED US OF THE TFC HE WAS SUPPOSEDLY WORKING US AROUND.

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.