Narrative:

We were on the FINKS7 arrival; somewhere around jasen. We were busy doing IOE and discussing the river visual runway 19 that was coming up. There also was some confusion with the controller with crossing restrs. I believe the controller thought we were on the eldee one RNAV arrival. I think the controller called us as traffic to another aircraft. The other aircraft called us in sight. I think the controller gave the other aircraft a climb clearance and a clearance to maintain visual separation with us. I didn't like the sound of this. I turned on all my landing lights. Shortly after; our TCAS commanded about a 2000 FPM climb. We complied with the TCAS. The other aircraft passed off our right side. The crew of the other commented on how close we came. The controller's speech was somewhat difficult to understand. The TCAS reversed and gave us a descent RA just before the other aircraft passed off our right. Supplemental information from acn 727528: the other aircraft was around our 1-2 O'clock position; 1500-2500 ft. Approach then asked us if we got an RA on the other aircraft and I replied we did. On the ground the captain and I discussed what and why that happened and we were both confused how exactly this transpired. We discussed that there were several factors involved: the controllers seemed to be struggling a little and were a little hard to understand. There were several traffic targets on the mfd; but I think the other aircraft actually did not have a visual on us and I don't think they had their lights on. I may have also been a little overwhelmed as before this happened the captain had just briefed me on the visual approach from the north and how important it was not to go east of the river. As mentioned before; it is still a little fuzzy and it is very possible I may have missed a call from approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ200 APCHING DCA RECEIVED AN RA WITH TFC NOT IN SIGHT. ATC REPORTED THE TFC HAD THEM IN SIGHT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE FINKS7 ARR; SOMEWHERE AROUND JASEN. WE WERE BUSY DOING IOE AND DISCUSSING THE RIVER VISUAL RWY 19 THAT WAS COMING UP. THERE ALSO WAS SOME CONFUSION WITH THE CTLR WITH XING RESTRS. I BELIEVE THE CTLR THOUGHT WE WERE ON THE ELDEE ONE RNAV ARR. I THINK THE CTLR CALLED US AS TFC TO ANOTHER ACFT. THE OTHER ACFT CALLED US IN SIGHT. I THINK THE CTLR GAVE THE OTHER ACFT A CLB CLRNC AND A CLRNC TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH US. I DIDN'T LIKE THE SOUND OF THIS. I TURNED ON ALL MY LNDG LIGHTS. SHORTLY AFTER; OUR TCAS COMMANDED ABOUT A 2000 FPM CLB. WE COMPLIED WITH THE TCAS. THE OTHER ACFT PASSED OFF OUR R SIDE. THE CREW OF THE OTHER COMMENTED ON HOW CLOSE WE CAME. THE CTLR'S SPEECH WAS SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. THE TCAS REVERSED AND GAVE US A DSCNT RA JUST BEFORE THE OTHER ACFT PASSED OFF OUR R. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 727528: THE OTHER ACFT WAS AROUND OUR 1-2 O'CLOCK POS; 1500-2500 FT. APCH THEN ASKED US IF WE GOT AN RA ON THE OTHER ACFT AND I REPLIED WE DID. ON THE GND THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED WHAT AND WHY THAT HAPPENED AND WE WERE BOTH CONFUSED HOW EXACTLY THIS TRANSPIRED. WE DISCUSSED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS INVOLVED: THE CTLRS SEEMED TO BE STRUGGLING A LITTLE AND WERE A LITTLE HARD TO UNDERSTAND. THERE WERE SEVERAL TFC TARGETS ON THE MFD; BUT I THINK THE OTHER ACFT ACTUALLY DID NOT HAVE A VISUAL ON US AND I DON'T THINK THEY HAD THEIR LIGHTS ON. I MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN A LITTLE OVERWHELMED AS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED THE CAPT HAD JUST BRIEFED ME ON THE VISUAL APCH FROM THE N AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS NOT TO GO E OF THE RIVER. AS MENTIONED BEFORE; IT IS STILL A LITTLE FUZZY AND IT IS VERY POSSIBLE I MAY HAVE MISSED A CALL FROM APCH.

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.