B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure; Distraction; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airspace Structure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
Received a TCAS RA while being vectored at 6;000 FT with NY Approach Control approximately near the SAX VOR. Approach issued a target for us at 12 O'clock. We saw him on TCAS and were right under us. We did not see him visually. ATC gave us a descent to 5;000 FT. We asked for a turn away from the traffic and were given a clearance. As we started descending; the aircraft appeared to be climbing. At about 5;600 FT we got a TCAS climb RA. We complied and climbed. We advised ATC that we were climbing in response to a TCAS RA and were cleared to climb to our original altitude of 6;000 FT. Although we are not certain; we may have come within 400 FT of the other aircraft.
On downwind for landing; was given clearance to descend from 6;000 FT to 5;000 FT. During the descent; VFR traffic at our 11 O'clock position set off a traffic alert. We were approaching 5;500 FT and the traffic was about 500 FT below us. We stopped the descent and asked for a turn away from traffic since ATC did not have communication with the traffic. As we turned away; the TCAS gave us a climb command to avoid the traffic. We climbed back up to 6;000 FT and the TCAS RA stopped.
B757 flight crew took evasive action from an unseen TCAS RA target at 5;600 FT near SAX VOR descending for a EWR approach.