Narrative:

Air carrier X from cle to ewr. We were being vectored to final approach by N90. Approximately 15 mi out of ewr on a modified base leg, I noticed an aircraft approaching us at our altitude (4000 ft) in our 2 O'clock position. I told the captain of the situation. (The captain was flying.) moments later, we got a TA on the TCASII. With no urgency in his voice, the controller cleared us to 3000 ft. As we started our descent, we got an RA on the TCASII directing us to climb. Although it was cloudy in the area, the captain had picked up the traffic visually as we started our descent. Since the captain had the traffic visually and we were cleared to descend to 3000 ft, we continued our descent, monitoring where the traffic was. The traffic passed overhead 600-700 ft. As we leveled at 3000 ft, the controller angrily told us to turn to a heading of 150 degrees (we were on a 060 degree heading) and that he had told us 3 times prior to turn to that heading. I replied that that was the first instructions we had received to turn to that heading (150 degrees) and we at that time complied. Supplemental information from acn 225327: approaching newark on vectors with approach control (nyc) level at 4000 ft MSL, IMC conditions, given descent to 3000 ft MSL by nyc approach control during vectors to ILS runway 22L ewr, approximately over morristown airport. No TA given by ATC at any time. During descent to 3000 ft (about 3600 ft) TCASII gave RA to 'climb' opposite to what we were already doing to comply with ATC descent to 3000 ft. Saw air carrier Y visually and passed 700 ft below him during descent. If I had pulled up when TCASII ordered, we would have hit air carrier Y, I believe. We had acknowledged ATC on descent twice during descent. No TA ever from ATC. After clear of traffic, controller said 'I have told you to turn right 3 times! Turn right to 150 degree heading now.' we responded 'that was first call we heard' while turning to 150 degree heading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X POSSIBLE NON COMPLIANCE WITH ATC INSTRUCTION RADAR VECTOR HDG. ACR X TCASII TA RA HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X FROM CLE TO EWR. WE WERE BEING VECTORED TO FINAL APCH BY N90. APPROX 15 MI OUT OF EWR ON A MODIFIED BASE LEG, I NOTICED AN ACFT APCHING US AT OUR ALT (4000 FT) IN OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS. I TOLD THE CAPT OF THE SIT. (THE CAPT WAS FLYING.) MOMENTS LATER, WE GOT A TA ON THE TCASII. WITH NO URGENCY IN HIS VOICE, THE CTLR CLRED US TO 3000 FT. AS WE STARTED OUR DSCNT, WE GOT AN RA ON THE TCASII DIRECTING US TO CLB. ALTHOUGH IT WAS CLOUDY IN THE AREA, THE CAPT HAD PICKED UP THE TFC VISUALLY AS WE STARTED OUR DSCNT. SINCE THE CAPT HAD THE TFC VISUALLY AND WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 3000 FT, WE CONTINUED OUR DSCNT, MONITORING WHERE THE TFC WAS. THE TFC PASSED OVERHEAD 600-700 FT. AS WE LEVELED AT 3000 FT, THE CTLR ANGRILY TOLD US TO TURN TO A HDG OF 150 DEGS (WE WERE ON A 060 DEG HDG) AND THAT HE HAD TOLD US 3 TIMES PRIOR TO TURN TO THAT HDG. I REPLIED THAT THAT WAS THE FIRST INSTRUCTIONS WE HAD RECEIVED TO TURN TO THAT HDG (150 DEGS) AND WE AT THAT TIME COMPLIED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 225327: APCHING NEWARK ON VECTORS WITH APCH CTL (NYC) LEVEL AT 4000 FT MSL, IMC CONDITIONS, GIVEN DSCNT TO 3000 FT MSL BY NYC APCH CTL DURING VECTORS TO ILS RWY 22L EWR, APPROX OVER MORRISTOWN ARPT. NO TA GIVEN BY ATC AT ANY TIME. DURING DSCNT TO 3000 FT (ABOUT 3600 FT) TCASII GAVE RA TO 'CLB' OPPOSITE TO WHAT WE WERE ALREADY DOING TO COMPLY WITH ATC DSCNT TO 3000 FT. SAW ACR Y VISUALLY AND PASSED 700 FT BELOW HIM DURING DSCNT. IF I HAD PULLED UP WHEN TCASII ORDERED, WE WOULD HAVE HIT ACR Y, I BELIEVE. WE HAD ACKNOWLEDGED ATC ON DSCNT TWICE DURING DSCNT. NO TA EVER FROM ATC. AFTER CLR OF TFC, CTLR SAID 'I HAVE TOLD YOU TO TURN R 3 TIMES! TURN R TO 150 DEG HDG NOW.' WE RESPONDED 'THAT WAS FIRST CALL WE HEARD' WHILE TURNING TO 150 DEG HDG.

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.