Narrative:

We departed bos on runway 22R and were given an initial heading of 260 degrees. There was a cherokee on a sightseeing tour at approximately 800-1000 ft. He was approximately 1/2 - 1 mi from the departure end of runway 22R. On the 260 degree heading in the climb, we were looking right into the sun and did not have visual contact with the cherokee nor did the controller advise us of any traffic in our area. I received a 'monitor vertical speed' from our TCASII followed immediately by a 'climb, climb now.' a solid red box with no altitude (RA) was right at our 12 O'clock position on the TCASII. My vsi had red dots from 6000 ft down, 4000 ft up, and only 2 or 3 green dots appeared beyond that. I pulled the nose of the aircraft to 30 degrees up and the cherokee passed right under the nose and right wing. As we passed him, our TCASII showed a solid red box with altitudes of 100 ft, 200 ft, 300 ft and then it called 'clear of conflict.' I called the tower supervisor and a full investigation is under way. My only concern (other than the fact we are all human and make mistakes) is how the FAA can allow GA aircraft that close to an international airport is beyond me. I am glad that my aircraft was not a statistic that would start the ball rolling to get this problem changed. Something needs to be done. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: type aircraft saab 340. Reporter advised controller handling his flight was old timer, probably 30 yrs in the tower. Has been decertified and is receiving additional training. Investigation of the incident is ongoing and he is determined to get a final answer. Feels it is a policy of the tower to let these sightseeing flts operate in close proximity to the airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SAAB 340 DEPARTED RWY 22R AND TURNED TO 260 DEGS. TCASII GAVE A TA FOLLOWED BY RA TO CLB. SUN WAS OBSCURING AND SAW A CHEROKEE AT 800-1000 FT DIRECTLY AHEAD. PULLED NOSE UP AND PASSED 100 FT OVER THE CHEROKEE. TWR HAD NOT RPTED THE TFC.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED BOS ON RWY 22R AND WERE GIVEN AN INITIAL HDG OF 260 DEGS. THERE WAS A CHEROKEE ON A SIGHTSEEING TOUR AT APPROX 800-1000 FT. HE WAS APPROX 1/2 - 1 MI FROM THE DEP END OF RWY 22R. ON THE 260 DEG HDG IN THE CLB, WE WERE LOOKING RIGHT INTO THE SUN AND DID NOT HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE CHEROKEE NOR DID THE CTLR ADVISE US OF ANY TFC IN OUR AREA. I RECEIVED A 'MONITOR VERT SPD' FROM OUR TCASII FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A 'CLB, CLB NOW.' A SOLID RED BOX WITH NO ALT (RA) WAS RIGHT AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS ON THE TCASII. MY VSI HAD RED DOTS FROM 6000 FT DOWN, 4000 FT UP, AND ONLY 2 OR 3 GREEN DOTS APPEARED BEYOND THAT. I PULLED THE NOSE OF THE ACFT TO 30 DEGS UP AND THE CHEROKEE PASSED RIGHT UNDER THE NOSE AND R WING. AS WE PASSED HIM, OUR TCASII SHOWED A SOLID RED BOX WITH ALTS OF 100 FT, 200 FT, 300 FT AND THEN IT CALLED 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' I CALLED THE TWR SUPVR AND A FULL INVESTIGATION IS UNDER WAY. MY ONLY CONCERN (OTHER THAN THE FACT WE ARE ALL HUMAN AND MAKE MISTAKES) IS HOW THE FAA CAN ALLOW GA ACFT THAT CLOSE TO AN INTL ARPT IS BEYOND ME. I AM GLAD THAT MY ACFT WAS NOT A STATISTIC THAT WOULD START THE BALL ROLLING TO GET THIS PROB CHANGED. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: TYPE ACFT SAAB 340. RPTR ADVISED CTLR HANDLING HIS FLT WAS OLD TIMER, PROBABLY 30 YRS IN THE TWR. HAS BEEN DECERTIFIED AND IS RECEIVING ADDITIONAL TRAINING. INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT IS ONGOING AND HE IS DETERMINED TO GET A FINAL ANSWER. FEELS IT IS A POLICY OF THE TWR TO LET THESE SIGHTSEEING FLTS OPERATE IN CLOSE PROX TO THE ARPT.

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.