Narrative:

This event occurred because we were in close proximity of another aircraft operating under different flight rules (VFR). Neither the lateral nor vertical separation was adequate to avoid the TCAS issuing an RA for us to climb. We were on a vector from new york departure at the time the incident occurred. We were level in cruise at 8000 ft and received a TCAS traffic alert for VFR traffic at 7500 ft. The traffic alert then turned to an RA commanding us to climb. The first officer (PF) disengaged the autoplt and commenced a climb to approximately 8400 ft. We immediately advised new york departure of the RA and our climb. Once we were clear of the conflict as announced by the TCAS; we made a descent back down to 8000 ft. There were only 2 aircraft involved in this incident. This event could have been prevented by new york departure issuing us a climb or a heading to avoid the conflicting traffic. The controller appeared to be extremely task saturated at the time of the incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65-200 EXPERIENCES TCAS RA WITH VFR TRAFFIC NEAR JFK.

Narrative: THIS EVENT OCCURRED BECAUSE WE WERE IN CLOSE PROX OF ANOTHER ACFT OPERATING UNDER DIFFERENT FLT RULES (VFR). NEITHER THE LATERAL NOR VERT SEPARATION WAS ADEQUATE TO AVOID THE TCAS ISSUING AN RA FOR US TO CLB. WE WERE ON A VECTOR FROM NEW YORK DEP AT THE TIME THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. WE WERE LEVEL IN CRUISE AT 8000 FT AND RECEIVED A TCAS TFC ALERT FOR VFR TFC AT 7500 FT. THE TFC ALERT THEN TURNED TO AN RA COMMANDING US TO CLB. THE FO (PF) DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND COMMENCED A CLB TO APPROX 8400 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY ADVISED NEW YORK DEP OF THE RA AND OUR CLB. ONCE WE WERE CLR OF THE CONFLICT AS ANNOUNCED BY THE TCAS; WE MADE A DSCNT BACK DOWN TO 8000 FT. THERE WERE ONLY 2 ACFT INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT. THIS EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY NEW YORK DEP ISSUING US A CLB OR A HDG TO AVOID THE CONFLICTING TFC. THE CTLR APPEARED TO BE EXTREMELY TASK SATURATED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

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.