Air carrier flight crew response to TCASII alert.

Attributes
ACN	203757
Time
Date	199203
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors enroute airway : n90
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	203757
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After takeoff, out of lga on the departure procedure, we were issued a heading of 290 degree, headed south down the hudson river, climbing to 12000 ft MSL. The TCASII initially called a TA and then an RA to 'monitor vertical speed,' which dictated that we reduce our rate of climb, which we did. The traffic passed off of our right side (west side) within several mi. We acquired the traffic visually, and complied with the TCASII instructions. The traffic passed uneventfully off of the right side, and the controller said nothing nor did he indicate that there was a potential problem. TCASII functioned as it would have, as we passed about 300 ft below the opposite direction traffic. I believe that TCASII is an important and valuable safety tool. The controller may have issued our turn from 340 degree (after takeoff from runway 31 at lga) to the 190 degree heading, later than usual (normal) resulting in the possible, potential conflict. There were no abrupt maneuvers used to avoid the conflict. We used both visual and TCASII to avoid a conflict.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC RESPONSE TO TCASII ALERT.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, OUT OF LGA ON THE DEP PROC, WE WERE ISSUED A HDG OF 290 DEG, HEADED S DOWN THE HUDSON RIVER, CLBING TO 12000 FT MSL. THE TCASII INITIALLY CALLED A TA AND THEN AN RA TO 'MONITOR VERT SPD,' WHICH DICTATED THAT WE REDUCE OUR RATE OF CLB, WHICH WE DID. THE TFC PASSED OFF OF OUR R SIDE (W SIDE) WITHIN SEVERAL MI. WE ACQUIRED THE TFC VISUALLY, AND COMPLIED WITH THE TCASII INSTRUCTIONS. THE TFC PASSED UNEVENTFULLY OFF OF THE R SIDE, AND THE CTLR SAID NOTHING NOR DID HE INDICATE THAT THERE WAS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM. TCASII FUNCTIONED AS IT WOULD HAVE, AS WE PASSED ABOUT 300 FT BELOW THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC. I BELIEVE THAT TCASII IS AN IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE SAFETY TOOL. THE CTLR MAY HAVE ISSUED OUR TURN FROM 340 DEG (AFTER TKOF FROM RWY 31 AT LGA) TO THE 190 DEG HDG, LATER THAN USUAL (NORMAL) RESULTING IN THE POSSIBLE, POTENTIAL CONFLICT. THERE WERE NO ABRUPT MANEUVERS USED TO AVOID THE CONFLICT. WE USED BOTH VISUAL AND TCASII TO AVOID A CONFLICT.

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.