Narrative:

1) sitting on jumpseat, earplugs being used, speakers low, with headsets being used by PF (captain) and first officer. I was not using a headset. 2) at 12000 ft the controller gave them a descent to 7000 ft and asked the crew to 'expedite.' flight crew had been flying a good, disciplined flight except for 1 minor deviation (exceeding 250 ft below 10000 ft) during the descent, which was mentioned by me and immediately corrected by the PF. (I was only picking up about 2/3 of radio traffic as I was returning to new york city at the end of my trip and was tired.) 3) flight crew did not have TCASII traffic displayed but had a TCASII mode enabled which only showed threats. 4) shortly after leveling at 7000 ft, we got a TA from the TCASII which showed traffic at +01 (100 ft above) and level at our 12:30-1 O'clock position and closing. The first officer increased the scale and it became apparent that traffic was inside the 5 NM range. Shortly thereafter (10? Seconds) an RA was issued which I believe was 'climb, crossing climb' followed about 3-4 seconds later with a reversal, 'descend, descend now.' (20% chance that it could have been opposite commands as it happened so quickly.) 5) captain had disconnected the autoplt and was trying to respond to TCASII commands and also started a left turn. At this time I spotted traffic (probably the captain too) in a 30 degree left turn and rolling out so that he was wings level when we passed each other. Apparently the other aircraft (a low wing, white, light turboprop or maybe jet) had spotted us first. Time from observing aircraft to passing by each other was about 4 seconds. A) obviously either approach mistakenly gave us 7000 ft or the other aircraft was at the wrong altitude. B) the flight crew was doing a good job, but appeared to have some complacency with regards to automation. (This was the end of their flying that day so either fatigue, or severe company labor management problems are possible factors here.) C) they could also have helped themselves by having traffic displayed in the terminal area. This is a good technique and one that I always use. D) no discussion ensued with either other aircraft or controller. East) my assumption is that other aircraft was on departure since it was heading sbound, south of the airport.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 IN N90'S AIRSPACE EXPERIENCED TCASII RA WITH UNKNOWN ACFT.

Narrative: 1) SITTING ON JUMPSEAT, EARPLUGS BEING USED, SPEAKERS LOW, WITH HEADSETS BEING USED BY PF (CAPT) AND FO. I WAS NOT USING A HEADSET. 2) AT 12000 FT THE CTLR GAVE THEM A DSCNT TO 7000 FT AND ASKED THE CREW TO 'EXPEDITE.' FLT CREW HAD BEEN FLYING A GOOD, DISCIPLINED FLT EXCEPT FOR 1 MINOR DEV (EXCEEDING 250 FT BELOW 10000 FT) DURING THE DSCNT, WHICH WAS MENTIONED BY ME AND IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED BY THE PF. (I WAS ONLY PICKING UP ABOUT 2/3 OF RADIO TFC AS I WAS RETURNING TO NEW YORK CITY AT THE END OF MY TRIP AND WAS TIRED.) 3) FLT CREW DID NOT HAVE TCASII TFC DISPLAYED BUT HAD A TCASII MODE ENABLED WHICH ONLY SHOWED THREATS. 4) SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AT 7000 FT, WE GOT A TA FROM THE TCASII WHICH SHOWED TFC AT +01 (100 FT ABOVE) AND LEVEL AT OUR 12:30-1 O'CLOCK POS AND CLOSING. THE FO INCREASED THE SCALE AND IT BECAME APPARENT THAT TFC WAS INSIDE THE 5 NM RANGE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER (10? SECONDS) AN RA WAS ISSUED WHICH I BELIEVE WAS 'CLB, XING CLB' FOLLOWED ABOUT 3-4 SECONDS LATER WITH A REVERSAL, 'DSND, DSND NOW.' (20% CHANCE THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN OPPOSITE COMMANDS AS IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY.) 5) CAPT HAD DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND WAS TRYING TO RESPOND TO TCASII COMMANDS AND ALSO STARTED A L TURN. AT THIS TIME I SPOTTED TFC (PROBABLY THE CAPT TOO) IN A 30 DEG L TURN AND ROLLING OUT SO THAT HE WAS WINGS LEVEL WHEN WE PASSED EACH OTHER. APPARENTLY THE OTHER ACFT (A LOW WING, WHITE, LIGHT TURBOPROP OR MAYBE JET) HAD SPOTTED US FIRST. TIME FROM OBSERVING ACFT TO PASSING BY EACH OTHER WAS ABOUT 4 SECONDS. A) OBVIOUSLY EITHER APCH MISTAKENLY GAVE US 7000 FT OR THE OTHER ACFT WAS AT THE WRONG ALT. B) THE FLT CREW WAS DOING A GOOD JOB, BUT APPEARED TO HAVE SOME COMPLACENCY WITH REGARDS TO AUTOMATION. (THIS WAS THE END OF THEIR FLYING THAT DAY SO EITHER FATIGUE, OR SEVERE COMPANY LABOR MGMNT PROBS ARE POSSIBLE FACTORS HERE.) C) THEY COULD ALSO HAVE HELPED THEMSELVES BY HAVING TFC DISPLAYED IN THE TERMINAL AREA. THIS IS A GOOD TECHNIQUE AND ONE THAT I ALWAYS USE. D) NO DISCUSSION ENSUED WITH EITHER OTHER ACFT OR CTLR. E) MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT OTHER ACFT WAS ON DEP SINCE IT WAS HEADING SBOUND, S OF 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.