Narrative:

Departed kennedy to canarsie, flew the 223 radial off canarsie and leveled at 5000. Controller was issuing clrncs so fast that no one had a chance to read back. Controller was clearly flustered and overloaded. She issued a clearance to us to turn to 200 degree heading and intercept the 221 radial off kennedy VOR and climb to 8000. I started turn and climb, at about 5700 MSL and after 10 degree of turn received RA to descend at 1200 FPM. I complied. After descending about 300 ft the TCASII told me to monitor vertical rate which showed all clear. We saw traffic pass approximately overhead 500 ft above. Then the controller apparently saw the conflict and immediately turned us into more traffic. A turn we did not comply with and she countermanded 30 seconds later! The cause of this incident was controller overload. If your sector is so busy you can't allow for readback of clearance you are in for trouble. New york arrival and departure is out of control during peak periods.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF LGT DEPARTING JFK HAD TCASII RA AND DSNDED TO CLR THE RA. SAW TFC PASS OVERHEAD APPROX 500 FT.

Narrative: DEPARTED KENNEDY TO CANARSIE, FLEW THE 223 RADIAL OFF CANARSIE AND LEVELED AT 5000. CTLR WAS ISSUING CLRNCS SO FAST THAT NO ONE HAD A CHANCE TO READ BACK. CTLR WAS CLRLY FLUSTERED AND OVERLOADED. SHE ISSUED A CLRNC TO US TO TURN TO 200 DEG HDG AND INTERCEPT THE 221 RADIAL OFF KENNEDY VOR AND CLB TO 8000. I STARTED TURN AND CLB, AT ABOUT 5700 MSL AND AFTER 10 DEG OF TURN RECEIVED RA TO DSND AT 1200 FPM. I COMPLIED. AFTER DSNDING ABOUT 300 FT THE TCASII TOLD ME TO MONITOR VERT RATE WHICH SHOWED ALL CLR. WE SAW TFC PASS APPROX OVERHEAD 500 FT ABOVE. THEN THE CTLR APPARENTLY SAW THE CONFLICT AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED US INTO MORE TFC. A TURN WE DID NOT COMPLY WITH AND SHE COUNTERMANDED 30 SECONDS LATER! THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS CTLR OVERLOAD. IF YOUR SECTOR IS SO BUSY YOU CAN'T ALLOW FOR READBACK OF CLRNC YOU ARE IN FOR TROUBLE. NEW YORK ARR AND DEP IS OUT OF CTL DURING PEAK PERIODS.

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.