Narrative:

During flight air carrier X from jfk to ZZZZ our flight experienced a TA followed shortly thereafter by an RA in the san juan airspace north of puerto rico. While exiting new york commercial radio class ii airspace heading south to the thank fix; we were switched to san juan center. Upon initial contact with san juan we were given a new squawk and a clearance of 'direct to the anada fix after thank.' this turned out to be a shortcut to approximately 10 degrees from our original flight plan in the direction of ZZZZ. As we passed thank and rolled out of our turn towards anada we noticed an aircraft co-altitude and to our right (2 O'clock) position on the TCAS. The aircraft became a yellow TA as I looked outside to spot the traffic. When I saw the aircraft (B747) it appeared to be on a merging course. We then received the RA to 'climb.' we then executed a climb out of FL330 to FL340 and after the threat cleared; we descended back to FL330. I was the pilot at controls; and after the incident; the captain immediately questioned san juan center to see if they saw/could explain what had just happened. San juan confirmed it and said they were looking into it. Conditions were daylight with good visibility. The captain and I estimated that the B747 was within 1-2 mi and closing while we were in the climb and that the aircraft passed close to underneath us. In my opinion obviously more radar coverage in the area would help the situation. The TCAS was what prevented this from being a potential midair. We were also fortunate in that it was daylight VMC. Had this been at night or IMC; our reaction might have been more aggressive and caused potential harm to passenger or flight attendants. Since we had sight of the other aircraft early the maneuver did not require aggressive climbing. Supplemental information from acn 802957: in jun/xa/08; our airspace was redesigned and all the controllers felt at the time and still feel insecure working the new airspace. On this night while working D4; D6; O10; A4; A6; 5 position combined an operational error occurred on the new designed airspace. A B737 at FL330 and a B747 at FL330 lost separation on non-radar airspace. The computer (atops) in new york warned the controller about the possible conflict and nothing was done.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR AT FL 330 WITH ZSU EXPERIENCED TCAS RA WITH B747.

Narrative: DURING FLT ACR X FROM JFK TO ZZZZ OUR FLT EXPERIENCED A TA FOLLOWED SHORTLY THEREAFTER BY AN RA IN THE SAN JUAN AIRSPACE N OF PUERTO RICO. WHILE EXITING NEW YORK COMMERCIAL RADIO CLASS II AIRSPACE HDG S TO THE THANK FIX; WE WERE SWITCHED TO SAN JUAN CTR. UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH SAN JUAN WE WERE GIVEN A NEW SQUAWK AND A CLRNC OF 'DIRECT TO THE ANADA FIX AFTER THANK.' THIS TURNED OUT TO BE A SHORTCUT TO APPROX 10 DEGS FROM OUR ORIGINAL FLT PLAN IN THE DIRECTION OF ZZZZ. AS WE PASSED THANK AND ROLLED OUT OF OUR TURN TOWARDS ANADA WE NOTICED AN ACFT CO-ALT AND TO OUR R (2 O'CLOCK) POS ON THE TCAS. THE ACFT BECAME A YELLOW TA AS I LOOKED OUTSIDE TO SPOT THE TFC. WHEN I SAW THE ACFT (B747) IT APPEARED TO BE ON A MERGING COURSE. WE THEN RECEIVED THE RA TO 'CLB.' WE THEN EXECUTED A CLB OUT OF FL330 TO FL340 AND AFTER THE THREAT CLRED; WE DSNDED BACK TO FL330. I WAS THE PLT AT CTLS; AND AFTER THE INCIDENT; THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED SAN JUAN CTR TO SEE IF THEY SAW/COULD EXPLAIN WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. SAN JUAN CONFIRMED IT AND SAID THEY WERE LOOKING INTO IT. CONDITIONS WERE DAYLIGHT WITH GOOD VISIBILITY. THE CAPT AND I ESTIMATED THAT THE B747 WAS WITHIN 1-2 MI AND CLOSING WHILE WE WERE IN THE CLB AND THAT THE ACFT PASSED CLOSE TO UNDERNEATH US. IN MY OPINION OBVIOUSLY MORE RADAR COVERAGE IN THE AREA WOULD HELP THE SITUATION. THE TCAS WAS WHAT PREVENTED THIS FROM BEING A POTENTIAL MIDAIR. WE WERE ALSO FORTUNATE IN THAT IT WAS DAYLIGHT VMC. HAD THIS BEEN AT NIGHT OR IMC; OUR REACTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE AGGRESSIVE AND CAUSED POTENTIAL HARM TO PAX OR FLT ATTENDANTS. SINCE WE HAD SIGHT OF THE OTHER ACFT EARLY THE MANEUVER DID NOT REQUIRE AGGRESSIVE CLBING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 802957: IN JUN/XA/08; OUR AIRSPACE WAS REDESIGNED AND ALL THE CTLRS FELT AT THE TIME AND STILL FEEL INSECURE WORKING THE NEW AIRSPACE. ON THIS NIGHT WHILE WORKING D4; D6; O10; A4; A6; 5 POS COMBINED AN OPERROR OCCURRED ON THE NEW DESIGNED AIRSPACE. A B737 AT FL330 AND A B747 AT FL330 LOST SEPARATION ON NON-RADAR AIRSPACE. THE COMPUTER (ATOPS) IN NEW YORK WARNED THE CTLR ABOUT THE POSSIBLE CONFLICT AND NOTHING WAS DONE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.