Commuter aircraft has TCASII RA, responds.

Attributes
ACN	276123
Time
Date	199407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdr
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : n90
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	276123
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
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
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flying in cruise at 4000 ft MSL under new york approach control. I saw an aircraft on TCASII and got a TA. New york approach did not report the traffic and was too busy to get a word in to ask for a change in altitude or heading. I watched for the RA which was imminent and climbed from 4000 ft to 4400 ft before the 'clear of conflict' notice from TCASII. New york advised of the traffic as I was climbing. I reported the TCASII RA and descended back to 4000 ft MSL. No further problem. Ctrs or approach controls seem to report conflicting traffic when they're right on top of you and it's too late. There is a delay somewhere between identify to notification. Conflicting traffic should be reported sooner! When they call traffic a mi away it's usually a few hundred ft. Maybe 3 mi would suffice?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT HAS TCASII RA, RESPONDS.

Narrative: FLYING IN CRUISE AT 4000 FT MSL UNDER NEW YORK APCH CTL. I SAW AN ACFT ON TCASII AND GOT A TA. NEW YORK APCH DID NOT RPT THE TFC AND WAS TOO BUSY TO GET A WORD IN TO ASK FOR A CHANGE IN ALT OR HDG. I WATCHED FOR THE RA WHICH WAS IMMINENT AND CLBED FROM 4000 FT TO 4400 FT BEFORE THE 'CLR OF CONFLICT' NOTICE FROM TCASII. NEW YORK ADVISED OF THE TFC AS I WAS CLBING. I RPTED THE TCASII RA AND DSNDED BACK TO 4000 FT MSL. NO FURTHER PROB. CTRS OR APCH CTLS SEEM TO RPT CONFLICTING TFC WHEN THEY'RE RIGHT ON TOP OF YOU AND IT'S TOO LATE. THERE IS A DELAY SOMEWHERE BTWN IDENT TO NOTIFICATION. CONFLICTING TFC SHOULD BE RPTED SOONER! WHEN THEY CALL TFC A MI AWAY IT'S USUALLY A FEW HUNDRED FT. MAYBE 3 MI WOULD SUFFICE?

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.