Narrative:

We departed runway 34 at hpn. Complied with the SID. Upon contacting new york departure; we were told to turn to a heading of 360 degrees. As we rolled out on that heading at 3000 ft; I observed 2 VFR targets on TCAS. The first target at 3400 ft at our 12:30 O'clock position on southwesterly heading at 2 1/2 mi. That aircraft appeared to be descending. The other VFR target was at our 10 O'clock position at 3000 ft and 2 mi. The ATC controller then told us to turn left to a heading of 290 degrees. Just as he spoke; we immediately got an RA on the TCAS. In my judgement with the fast closure rate of both aircraft; turning to that heading would have put our aircraft at great risk of a midair. The controller was very busy so there was no time to query him. Instead; we turned right to get around both aircraft. Just as we turned; the controller either saw what we did or realized the situation and told us to turn to a heading of 070 degrees. We were able to get around both VFR aircraft and continue our climb safely. I firmly believe that if I would have followed the controller's initial instructions; it would have put our aircraft in grave danger; and that's why I turned the other way.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ700 DEP FROM HPN AT 3000 FT WITH N90 TURNED IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM THE ATC ASSIGNED HEADING BECAUSE OF A TCAS RA WITH 2 VFR ACFT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED RWY 34 AT HPN. COMPLIED WITH THE SID. UPON CONTACTING NEW YORK DEP; WE WERE TOLD TO TURN TO A HDG OF 360 DEGS. AS WE ROLLED OUT ON THAT HDG AT 3000 FT; I OBSERVED 2 VFR TARGETS ON TCAS. THE FIRST TARGET AT 3400 FT AT OUR 12:30 O'CLOCK POS ON SOUTHWESTERLY HDG AT 2 1/2 MI. THAT ACFT APPEARED TO BE DSNDING. THE OTHER VFR TARGET WAS AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS AT 3000 FT AND 2 MI. THE ATC CTLR THEN TOLD US TO TURN L TO A HDG OF 290 DEGS. JUST AS HE SPOKE; WE IMMEDIATELY GOT AN RA ON THE TCAS. IN MY JUDGEMENT WITH THE FAST CLOSURE RATE OF BOTH ACFT; TURNING TO THAT HDG WOULD HAVE PUT OUR ACFT AT GREAT RISK OF A MIDAIR. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY SO THERE WAS NO TIME TO QUERY HIM. INSTEAD; WE TURNED R TO GET AROUND BOTH ACFT. JUST AS WE TURNED; THE CTLR EITHER SAW WHAT WE DID OR REALIZED THE SITUATION AND TOLD US TO TURN TO A HDG OF 070 DEGS. WE WERE ABLE TO GET AROUND BOTH VFR ACFT AND CONTINUE OUR CLB SAFELY. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IF I WOULD HAVE FOLLOWED THE CTLR'S INITIAL INSTRUCTIONS; IT WOULD HAVE PUT OUR ACFT IN GRAVE DANGER; AND THAT'S WHY I TURNED THE OTHER WAY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.