Air carrier flight crew took evasive action to assure separation with VFR reported traffic.

Attributes
ACN	204047
Time
Date	199203
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : swf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4600 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors enroute airway : n90
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	204047
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	203897
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2400 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Heading 210 degree traffic called by approach at 12 O'clock, 5 mi, vectored left to 17 degree. Traffic again called at 12 O'clock, 3 mi, 4500 ft. No sight of traffic initially. Told to turn further left when spotted low wing single engine aircraft on what appeared to be a collision course. Low wing aircraft initiated a hard right turn and I initiated a hard right turn to avoid the traffic. Captain later called ATC and inquired about the proximity (by telephone) and was greeted with indignity. The supervisor stated that the controller had confidence in both aircraft mode C. We were not in a TCA and he was not responsible for separation. Ok, but a vector directly away would be great. We are all here working for safety aren't we? The controller was not busy (aside). (Additional aside) unfortunately, we were not TCASII equipped, however, we (crew) agree it would have been an RA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO ASSURE SEPARATION WITH VFR RPTED TFC.

Narrative: HDG 210 DEG TFC CALLED BY APCH AT 12 O'CLOCK, 5 MI, VECTORED L TO 17 DEG. TFC AGAIN CALLED AT 12 O'CLOCK, 3 MI, 4500 FT. NO SIGHT OF TFC INITIALLY. TOLD TO TURN FURTHER L WHEN SPOTTED LOW WING SINGLE ENG ACFT ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE A COLLISION COURSE. LOW WING ACFT INITIATED A HARD R TURN AND I INITIATED A HARD R TURN TO AVOID THE TFC. CAPT LATER CALLED ATC AND INQUIRED ABOUT THE PROX (BY TELEPHONE) AND WAS GREETED WITH INDIGNITY. THE SUPVR STATED THAT THE CTLR HAD CONFIDENCE IN BOTH ACFT MODE C. WE WERE NOT IN A TCA AND HE WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SEPARATION. OK, BUT A VECTOR DIRECTLY AWAY WOULD BE GREAT. WE ARE ALL HERE WORKING FOR SAFETY AREN'T WE? THE CTLR WAS NOT BUSY (ASIDE). (ADDITIONAL ASIDE) UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT TCASII EQUIPPED, HOWEVER, WE (CREW) AGREE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN RA.

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.