A300 flight crew inbound to jfk receives TCASII RA to climb with traffic indicated 300 ft below.

Attributes
ACN	412017
Time
Date	199808
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Beechcraft, Beech Aircraft Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	412017
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Flight departed jfk with numerous cell activities in surrounding area and all along route A554 en route to sju. Flight was longer as result of route and deviations necessary to accomplish a safe journey. Return leg encountered same WX system from east side. This leg and jfk was VFR for approach to runway 4R. Controller on tower asks a beechcraft if he had the heavy jet in sight. No reply. Our aircraft at 9000 ft AGL on GS, on localizer. Sudden RA to 'monitor vertical speed, climb' with target 300 ft below. Made first officer power up and climb. Situation could have been disastrous. First officer was obviously fatigued and slow to react due to time and lack of facilities to be properly ready for such a crisis. Jfk tower when queried of conflict behaved rather nonchalant as though this near midair was nothing to fret over -- further concerning me. Pilots have got to be always prepared for the unexpected, particularly in the takeoff/land environment. Flight schedule does not enhance the aviator's ability to remain vigilant.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 FLC INBOUND TO JFK RECEIVES TCASII RA TO CLB WITH TFC INDICATED 300 FT BELOW.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTED JFK WITH NUMEROUS CELL ACTIVITIES IN SURROUNDING AREA AND ALL ALONG RTE A554 ENRTE TO SJU. FLT WAS LONGER AS RESULT OF RTE AND DEVS NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH A SAFE JOURNEY. RETURN LEG ENCOUNTERED SAME WX SYS FROM E SIDE. THIS LEG AND JFK WAS VFR FOR APCH TO RWY 4R. CTLR ON TWR ASKS A BEECHCRAFT IF HE HAD THE HVY JET IN SIGHT. NO REPLY. OUR ACFT AT 9000 FT AGL ON GS, ON LOC. SUDDEN RA TO 'MONITOR VERT SPD, CLB' WITH TARGET 300 FT BELOW. MADE FO PWR UP AND CLB. SIT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. FO WAS OBVIOUSLY FATIGUED AND SLOW TO REACT DUE TO TIME AND LACK OF FACILITIES TO BE PROPERLY READY FOR SUCH A CRISIS. JFK TWR WHEN QUERIED OF CONFLICT BEHAVED RATHER NONCHALANT AS THOUGH THIS NEAR MIDAIR WAS NOTHING TO FRET OVER -- FURTHER CONCERNING ME. PLTS HAVE GOT TO BE ALWAYS PREPARED FOR THE UNEXPECTED, PARTICULARLY IN THE TKOF/LAND ENVIRONMENT. FLT SCHEDULE DOES NOT ENHANCE THE AVIATOR'S ABILITY TO REMAIN VIGILANT.

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.