Narrative:

There are 2 events included on this report. Both were TCASII RA's on a flight from dca-hpn. On an ATC vector from new york approach of 110 degrees after crossing sax VOR ATC advised us of VFR traffic at 2900 MSL, our 7 O'clock position. TCASII gave us an advisory as follows: 'TA' several seconds later an 'RA' with a 'climb' advisory. TCASII dictated 2000 FPM climb. At 3300 ft TCASII reported clear of conflict. During our TCASII advisories, ATC gave us a left 20 degree' for traffic. During the turn and climb we got a visual on our traffic. We resumed our altitude and heading. Our second event occurred on a visual approach right downwind runway 34 at hpn. New york approach advised us of traffic 12-1 O'clock converging at our altitude of 3000 ft. TCASII gave us a 'TA' then 'RA climb' advisory. TCASII dictated 2000 FPM climb rate. At 3500 ft TCASII advised clear of conflict. Resumed normal approach. In both cases we advised ATC of actions (departing assigned altitude), ATC had no comment. Since the installation of TCASII on our aircraft and our growing experience with this instrument, if an 'RA' is generated, normally it's complied with unless there is some obvious reason not to, even if we see the traffic. There is the possibility that there is additional traffic generating the 'RA' that is not seen. I don't believe there were any special human factors involved in these events. I am frequently reminded that a pilot can't spend too much time 'seeing and avoiding' traffic with special awareness in the departure and arrival phases. Part of the traffic conflict here is due to our routing: dca.EMI.lrp.etx.abe.bwz.sax.V39 brezy.hpn at 7000. By abe ATC has us at 5000 ft. Shortly thereafter 3000 ft for the next 70 mi or so. ATC will not approve 7000 ft through new york airspace. Flying a 250 KT aircraft with paying passenger at 3000 ft through congested northeast airspace for any length of time, other than briefly, is going to generate these sort of conflicts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER MDT ALTDEV IN RESPONSE TO TCASII RA.

Narrative: THERE ARE 2 EVENTS INCLUDED ON THIS RPT. BOTH WERE TCASII RA'S ON A FLT FROM DCA-HPN. ON AN ATC VECTOR FROM NEW YORK APCH OF 110 DEGS AFTER XING SAX VOR ATC ADVISED US OF VFR TFC AT 2900 MSL, OUR 7 O'CLOCK POS. TCASII GAVE US AN ADVISORY AS FOLLOWS: 'TA' SEVERAL SECONDS LATER AN 'RA' WITH A 'CLB' ADVISORY. TCASII DICTATED 2000 FPM CLB. AT 3300 FT TCASII RPTED CLR OF CONFLICT. DURING OUR TCASII ADVISORIES, ATC GAVE US A L 20 DEG' FOR TFC. DURING THE TURN AND CLB WE GOT A VISUAL ON OUR TFC. WE RESUMED OUR ALT AND HDG. OUR SECOND EVENT OCCURRED ON A VISUAL APCH R DOWNWIND RWY 34 AT HPN. NEW YORK APCH ADVISED US OF TFC 12-1 O'CLOCK CONVERGING AT OUR ALT OF 3000 FT. TCASII GAVE US A 'TA' THEN 'RA CLB' ADVISORY. TCASII DICTATED 2000 FPM CLB RATE. AT 3500 FT TCASII ADVISED CLR OF CONFLICT. RESUMED NORMAL APCH. IN BOTH CASES WE ADVISED ATC OF ACTIONS (DEPARTING ASSIGNED ALT), ATC HAD NO COMMENT. SINCE THE INSTALLATION OF TCASII ON OUR ACFT AND OUR GROWING EXPERIENCE WITH THIS INST, IF AN 'RA' IS GENERATED, NORMALLY IT'S COMPLIED WITH UNLESS THERE IS SOME OBVIOUS REASON NOT TO, EVEN IF WE SEE THE TFC. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THERE IS ADDITIONAL TFC GENERATING THE 'RA' THAT IS NOT SEEN. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WERE ANY SPECIAL HUMAN FACTORS INVOLVED IN THESE EVENTS. I AM FREQUENTLY REMINDED THAT A PLT CAN'T SPEND TOO MUCH TIME 'SEEING AND AVOIDING' TFC WITH SPECIAL AWARENESS IN THE DEP AND ARR PHASES. PART OF THE TFC CONFLICT HERE IS DUE TO OUR RTING: DCA.EMI.LRP.ETX.ABE.BWZ.SAX.V39 BREZY.HPN AT 7000. BY ABE ATC HAS US AT 5000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER 3000 FT FOR THE NEXT 70 MI OR SO. ATC WILL NOT APPROVE 7000 FT THROUGH NEW YORK AIRSPACE. FLYING A 250 KT ACFT WITH PAYING PAX AT 3000 FT THROUGH CONGESTED NE AIRSPACE FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME, OTHER THAN BRIEFLY, IS GOING TO GENERATE THESE SORT OF CONFLICTS.

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.