Narrative:

Having just crossed pne VOR, I was looking at the en route chart to review the slightly complicated routing (pne 100-ard 126-V16) when out of the corner of my eye I saw traffic at 10 O'clock same altitude and within a mile converging. Before I had time to react (the autoplt was engaged) I saw the aircraft (a high wing fixed gear single engine type) begin a dive. My aircraft is TCASII equipped and this traffic 'popped up' on TCASII at this point, which called 'traffic, traffic' immediately followed by a 'climb, climb' command as the aircraft passed directly below us displaying an altitude of '50' or 5000 (same as ours). Having seen the other aircraft take evasive action and visually pass below us I did not follow TCASII command and remained level at 5000 ft. Shortly thereafter, TCASII advised 'clear of conflict.' I then asked ATC if they showed the traffic and apparently it had just 'popped up' on their screen also. He then advised that the aircraft had just penetrated the TCA and was still in it, and that they would attempt to track it to its destination. I followed up with a phone call later, however, the person I spoke to at phl approach had not yet heard of the incident. After my description he said since the other aircraft was not in their control that, unless they were able to track him, that there was not much that could be done. I fault myself partly for a less than vigilant scan and am once again reminded of its importance. In addition, I suggest possible solutions for reducing the probability of recurrence of this incident: 1) increase the ceiling of the tower en route control IFR route from phl-jfk to 7000. 2) show such common IFR rtes on the TCA chart (while some are, this particular one is not). 3) continue to educate the flying public on the dangers of flirting with TCA's (flying just outside them and not in contact with ATC) and the need to be familiar with IFR rtes even if they (pilots) are VFR only.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS NMAC WITH SMA WITHIN TCA.

Narrative: HAVING JUST CROSSED PNE VOR, I WAS LOOKING AT THE ENRTE CHART TO REVIEW THE SLIGHTLY COMPLICATED ROUTING (PNE 100-ARD 126-V16) WHEN OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE I SAW TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK SAME ALT AND WITHIN A MILE CONVERGING. BEFORE I HAD TIME TO REACT (THE AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED) I SAW THE ACFT (A HIGH WING FIXED GEAR SINGLE ENG TYPE) BEGIN A DIVE. MY ACFT IS TCASII EQUIPPED AND THIS TFC 'POPPED UP' ON TCASII AT THIS POINT, WHICH CALLED 'TFC, TFC' IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A 'CLB, CLB' COMMAND AS THE ACFT PASSED DIRECTLY BELOW US DISPLAYING AN ALT OF '50' OR 5000 (SAME AS OURS). HAVING SEEN THE OTHER ACFT TAKE EVASIVE ACTION AND VISUALLY PASS BELOW US I DID NOT FOLLOW TCASII COMMAND AND REMAINED LEVEL AT 5000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, TCASII ADVISED 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' I THEN ASKED ATC IF THEY SHOWED THE TFC AND APPARENTLY IT HAD JUST 'POPPED UP' ON THEIR SCREEN ALSO. HE THEN ADVISED THAT THE ACFT HAD JUST PENETRATED THE TCA AND WAS STILL IN IT, AND THAT THEY WOULD ATTEMPT TO TRACK IT TO ITS DEST. I FOLLOWED UP WITH A PHONE CALL LATER, HOWEVER, THE PERSON I SPOKE TO AT PHL APCH HAD NOT YET HEARD OF THE INCIDENT. AFTER MY DESCRIPTION HE SAID SINCE THE OTHER ACFT WAS NOT IN THEIR CTL THAT, UNLESS THEY WERE ABLE TO TRACK HIM, THAT THERE WAS NOT MUCH THAT COULD BE DONE. I FAULT MYSELF PARTLY FOR A LESS THAN VIGILANT SCAN AND AM ONCE AGAIN REMINDED OF ITS IMPORTANCE. IN ADDITION, I SUGGEST POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR REDUCING THE PROBABILITY OF RECURRENCE OF THIS INCIDENT: 1) INCREASE THE CEILING OF THE TWR ENRTE CTL IFR RTE FROM PHL-JFK TO 7000. 2) SHOW SUCH COMMON IFR RTES ON THE TCA CHART (WHILE SOME ARE, THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS NOT). 3) CONTINUE TO EDUCATE THE FLYING PUBLIC ON THE DANGERS OF FLIRTING WITH TCA'S (FLYING JUST OUTSIDE THEM AND NOT IN CONTACT WITH ATC) AND THE NEED TO BE FAMILIAR WITH IFR RTES EVEN IF THEY (PLTS) ARE VFR ONLY.

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.