A320 flight crew has a TCAS RA during climb to altitude.

Attributes
ACN	719500
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : rbv.vortac
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 16500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
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
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	719500
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

TCAS RA resulting in deviation from ATC clearance. Rbv 020 degree radial at 6 NM passing 16500 ft climbing to 17000 ft about 800 FPM rate of climb. ATC reported VFR traffic at 10 O'clock position; 17000 ft; and instructed us to turn to heading 320 degrees. Traffic not in sight and not displayed on TCAS display. RA descend full scale red descent on vertical speed tape. Captain took control; disconnected autoplt; and disengaged autothrust; thrust idle and pushed nose down to follow TCAS commands. RA clear of conflict at 16000 ft. First officer saw aircraft pass overhead from our 9 O'clock position within 500 ft. Our altimeter setting was 30.30 -- same as jfk departure ATIS. Altimeter changed 3 times in the past hour from 30.28 to 30.30. Not sure what the VFR aircraft was using for altimeter setting. The aircraft was not on our display until the RA. WX VMC night.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW HAS A TCAS RA DURING CLB TO ALT.

Narrative: TCAS RA RESULTING IN DEV FROM ATC CLRNC. RBV 020 DEG RADIAL AT 6 NM PASSING 16500 FT CLBING TO 17000 FT ABOUT 800 FPM RATE OF CLB. ATC RPTED VFR TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK POS; 17000 FT; AND INSTRUCTED US TO TURN TO HDG 320 DEGS. TFC NOT IN SIGHT AND NOT DISPLAYED ON TCAS DISPLAY. RA DSND FULL SCALE RED DSCNT ON VERT SPD TAPE. CAPT TOOK CTL; DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT; AND DISENGAGED AUTOTHRUST; THRUST IDLE AND PUSHED NOSE DOWN TO FOLLOW TCAS COMMANDS. RA CLR OF CONFLICT AT 16000 FT. FO SAW ACFT PASS OVERHEAD FROM OUR 9 O'CLOCK POS WITHIN 500 FT. OUR ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 30.30 -- SAME AS JFK DEP ATIS. ALTIMETER CHANGED 3 TIMES IN THE PAST HR FROM 30.28 TO 30.30. NOT SURE WHAT THE VFR ACFT WAS USING FOR ALTIMETER SETTING. THE ACFT WAS NOT ON OUR DISPLAY UNTIL THE RA. WX VMC NIGHT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.