Crj departure from fay at 4000 experienced TCAS RA with VFR traffic at 4500; traffic issued by ATC.

Attributes
ACN	774082
Time
Date	200802
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fay.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fay.tracon tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : mountie
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fay.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	774082
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5900 flight time type : 3445
ASRS Report	773648
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

We just took off from fay. We were given runway heading 2000 ft. Once we were level at 2000 ft; ATC gave us a heading then cancelled the heading and gave us climb maintain 4000 ft. Then as we started to climb; they gave us the heading again (I think it was 265 degrees) and told us to level at 4000 ft. As soon as we leveled; ATC told us to look for 'traffic at 12 O'clock position; 4500 ft; cessna.' as I told him we did not see the traffic; we got a descending RA. I told the captain to descend and looked up from the TCAS screen to see the cessna go directly over us by what looked like 200 ft. The last time I looked at the TCAS; it showed the cessna at +300 ft. I told ATC that we had to descend to follow an RA and he just told us that he had 'separation of 500 ft' and that the cessna was assigned 4500 ft. Over the radio we confirmed that we had the correct altimeter setting; as did the cessna. At the time we were the only 2 aircraft in the fay area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ DEP FROM FAY AT 4000 EXPERIENCED TCAS RA WITH VFR TFC AT 4500; TFC ISSUED BY ATC.

Narrative: WE JUST TOOK OFF FROM FAY. WE WERE GIVEN RWY HDG 2000 FT. ONCE WE WERE LEVEL AT 2000 FT; ATC GAVE US A HDG THEN CANCELLED THE HDG AND GAVE US CLB MAINTAIN 4000 FT. THEN AS WE STARTED TO CLB; THEY GAVE US THE HDG AGAIN (I THINK IT WAS 265 DEGS) AND TOLD US TO LEVEL AT 4000 FT. AS SOON AS WE LEVELED; ATC TOLD US TO LOOK FOR 'TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK POS; 4500 FT; CESSNA.' AS I TOLD HIM WE DID NOT SEE THE TFC; WE GOT A DSNDING RA. I TOLD THE CAPT TO DSND AND LOOKED UP FROM THE TCAS SCREEN TO SEE THE CESSNA GO DIRECTLY OVER US BY WHAT LOOKED LIKE 200 FT. THE LAST TIME I LOOKED AT THE TCAS; IT SHOWED THE CESSNA AT +300 FT. I TOLD ATC THAT WE HAD TO DSND TO FOLLOW AN RA AND HE JUST TOLD US THAT HE HAD 'SEPARATION OF 500 FT' AND THAT THE CESSNA WAS ASSIGNED 4500 FT. OVER THE RADIO WE CONFIRMED THAT WE HAD THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING; AS DID THE CESSNA. AT THE TIME WE WERE THE ONLY 2 ACFT IN THE FAY AREA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.