DH 8 departed lga and TCAS indicated unreported traffic directly above on initial climbout.

Attributes
ACN	765815
Time
Date	200712
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lga.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Dash 8-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 22400 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	765815
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 1500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

At 400 ft AGL I noticed a TCAS target on top of us by a few hundred ft. Tower frequency too congested to allow questioning about traffic. No visual. As traffic remained directly above; I decided to reduce my rate of climb (from 1500 to 100). This seemed to 'work.' I've had numerous traffic conflicts with helicopters; departing lga. If only tower would give us a TA before we 'discover' the traffic on our own. Neither pilot got a visual on the traffic; this time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DH 8 DEPARTED LGA AND TCAS INDICATED UNREPORTED TFC DIRECTLY ABOVE ON INITIAL CLIMBOUT.

Narrative: AT 400 FT AGL I NOTICED A TCAS TARGET ON TOP OF US BY A FEW HUNDRED FT. TWR FREQ TOO CONGESTED TO ALLOW QUESTIONING ABOUT TFC. NO VISUAL. AS TFC REMAINED DIRECTLY ABOVE; I DECIDED TO REDUCE MY RATE OF CLB (FROM 1500 TO 100). THIS SEEMED TO 'WORK.' I'VE HAD NUMEROUS TFC CONFLICTS WITH HELIS; DEPARTING LGA. IF ONLY TWR WOULD GIVE US A TA BEFORE WE 'DISCOVER' THE TFC ON OUR OWN. NEITHER PLT GOT A VISUAL ON THE TFC; THIS TIME.

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.