Narrative:

We were on assigned heading at 7000' VMC just on top of undercast. TCAS system was on. We received a RA to climb and began to climb. At approximately 7400' warning stopped and we descended back to 7000' and advised bos approach of altitude deviation and reason. We did not see the other aircraft and do not recall receiving a traffic advisory from ATC. We felt the system worked as advertised, but when we arrived at bos, we were asked to call TRACON supervisor. He asked why we left 7000'. I told him we had an RA on our TCAS and could not see conflict or potential conflict and so we followed the procedure. He asked if we initiated the climb before or after we got traffic advisory. I stated before. I do not believe we ever got an advisory. He still did not seem satisfied with the procedures or event. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the controller supervisor questioned whether we would have climbed if we had already received a traffic advisory. I advised him I had no choice but to comply with the resolution alert if I could not see the traffic. He appeared concerned that we would deviate from a clearance--the controller was talking so fast and continuous we could not break in to tell him we were deviating and in fact were back at our assigned altitude before we could advise him and get an acknowledgement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT RECEIVED A TCAS RESOLUTION ADVISORY AND CLIMBED 400' ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT THEN RETURNED TO ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000' MSL.

Narrative: WE WERE ON ASSIGNED HDG AT 7000' VMC JUST ON TOP OF UNDERCAST. TCAS SYS WAS ON. WE RECEIVED A RA TO CLB AND BEGAN TO CLB. AT APPROX 7400' WARNING STOPPED AND WE DSNDED BACK TO 7000' AND ADVISED BOS APCH OF ALT DEVIATION AND REASON. WE DID NOT SEE THE OTHER ACFT AND DO NOT RECALL RECEIVING A TFC ADVISORY FROM ATC. WE FELT THE SYS WORKED AS ADVERTISED, BUT WHEN WE ARRIVED AT BOS, WE WERE ASKED TO CALL TRACON SUPVR. HE ASKED WHY WE LEFT 7000'. I TOLD HIM WE HAD AN RA ON OUR TCAS AND COULD NOT SEE CONFLICT OR POTENTIAL CONFLICT AND SO WE FOLLOWED THE PROC. HE ASKED IF WE INITIATED THE CLB BEFORE OR AFTER WE GOT TFC ADVISORY. I STATED BEFORE. I DO NOT BELIEVE WE EVER GOT AN ADVISORY. HE STILL DID NOT SEEM SATISFIED WITH THE PROCS OR EVENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE CTLR SUPVR QUESTIONED WHETHER WE WOULD HAVE CLBED IF WE HAD ALREADY RECEIVED A TFC ADVISORY. I ADVISED HIM I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO COMPLY WITH THE RESOLUTION ALERT IF I COULD NOT SEE THE TFC. HE APPEARED CONCERNED THAT WE WOULD DEVIATE FROM A CLRNC--THE CTLR WAS TALKING SO FAST AND CONTINUOUS WE COULD NOT BREAK IN TO TELL HIM WE WERE DEVIATING AND IN FACT WERE BACK AT OUR ASSIGNED ALT BEFORE WE COULD ADVISE HIM AND GET AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.