An medium large transport air carrier crew had a TCASII alert while on descent requiring a level off. It is not clear if the traffic was seen on ATC radar. The traffic was seen visually.

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Attributes
ACN	209894
Time
Date	199205
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwz airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 7000 agl bound upper : 9600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : n90
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	209894
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Cleared the I pt 1 arrival to ewr with a descent clearance to maintain 7000 ft at approximately penns intersection. Atl advised of traffic at our 1 O'clock position. The TCASII was turned to the 'on' position. Traffic confirmed at approximately 1500 below. The TCASII traffic indication changed to a TA followed by a RA. We advised ATC that we desired to level temporarily at 9000 ft due to TA. ATC issued a subsequent clearance to expedite to 7000 ft. In the interim TCASII issued a RA 'monitor vertical speed.' the autoplt was disconnected and the aircraft temporarily leveled at 9300-9600 ft in response to the RA (ATC advised). Traffic was subsequently spotted at 3 O'clock 3/4 - 1 mi and 500-600 ft below. ATC clearance obtained and continued descent to 7000 ft. A broken cloud layer existed at approximately 5500-9000 ft. Had we continued our descent to cross sweet at 7000 ft or subsequently expedited our descent to 7000 ft as directed by ATC... A conflict may have occurred. In this case the response to the TCASII RA was the best course of action.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG ACR CREW HAD A TCASII ALERT WHILE ON DSCNT REQUIRING A LEVEL OFF. IT IS NOT CLR IF THE TFC WAS SEEN ON ATC RADAR. THE TFC WAS SEEN VISUALLY.

Narrative: CLRED THE I PT 1 ARR TO EWR WITH A DSCNT CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT AT APPROX PENNS INTXN. ATL ADVISED OF TFC AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS. THE TCASII WAS TURNED TO THE 'ON' POS. TFC CONFIRMED AT APPROX 1500 BELOW. THE TCASII TFC INDICATION CHANGED TO A TA FOLLOWED BY A RA. WE ADVISED ATC THAT WE DESIRED TO LEVEL TEMPORARILY AT 9000 FT DUE TO TA. ATC ISSUED A SUBSEQUENT CLRNC TO EXPEDITE TO 7000 FT. IN THE INTERIM TCASII ISSUED A RA 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED AND THE ACFT TEMPORARILY LEVELED AT 9300-9600 FT IN RESPONSE TO THE RA (ATC ADVISED). TFC WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SPOTTED AT 3 O'CLOCK 3/4 - 1 MI AND 500-600 FT BELOW. ATC CLRNC OBTAINED AND CONTINUED DSCNT TO 7000 FT. A BROKEN CLOUD LAYER EXISTED AT APPROX 5500-9000 FT. HAD WE CONTINUED OUR DSCNT TO CROSS SWEET AT 7000 FT OR SUBSEQUENTLY EXPEDITED OUR DSCNT TO 7000 FT AS DIRECTED BY ATC... A CONFLICT MAY HAVE OCCURRED. IN THIS CASE THE RESPONSE TO THE TCASII RA WAS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION.

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.