Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict NMAC
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
VFR conditions prevailed during arrival into EWR. [We were] taken off of the FMQ RNAV arrival and given vectors for spacing and sequencing to the west of EWR for a landing on Runway 4R. Flying at 5000 ft; autopilot on and approx. 190 kts assigned; we were turned from a downwind to base heading. Approx 15-20 nm southwest of the airport we were given a traffic warning message from ATC 'Traffic 1 o'clock; 5500 ft and closing; may be descending'. The Capt and I spotted a single engine low wing aircraft (Cherokee) approximately 300-500 feet above and trying to turn away from us. Almost no time was available to take action; no deviations or changes in automation occurred. ATC stated that aircraft had inadvertently flown into the Class B airspace. We never received a traffic proximity warning as the TCAS was [on] MEL. During pre-departure briefing and during all flight phases we discussed the TCAS outage and ensured we were actively looking for traffic during all phases of flight. No further actions or occurrences were encountered.
EMB-145 First Officer reported a NMAC with a light aircraft on arrival into EWR.