B737 crew had a TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	444247
Time
Date	199907
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : ord.vor
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 27000 flight time type : 17000
ASRS Report	444242
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 750 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : c90.tracon
Airspace Structure	class b : ord.b class e : ord.e

Narrative:

We were level at 3000 ft, and 270 degree vector, when we received a TA. The traffic indicated was 200 ft below us. I directed the first officer to initiate a climb. At the same time we saw the cessna turning towards us, got an RA, told approach controller we were climbing and were cleared to 6000 ft. When we questioned the controller why he had not advised us of traffic, he advised us he had several targets at the same place and could not distinguish the altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW HAD A TCASII RA.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 3000 FT, AND 270 DEG VECTOR, WHEN WE RECEIVED A TA. THE TFC INDICATED WAS 200 FT BELOW US. I DIRECTED THE FO TO INITIATE A CLB. AT THE SAME TIME WE SAW THE CESSNA TURNING TOWARDS US, GOT AN RA, TOLD APCH CTLR WE WERE CLBING AND WERE CLRED TO 6000 FT. WHEN WE QUESTIONED THE CTLR WHY HE HAD NOT ADVISED US OF TFC, HE ADVISED US HE HAD SEVERAL TARGETS AT THE SAME PLACE AND COULD NOT DISTINGUISH THE ALT.

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.