Narrative:

During the departure climb we were cleared to 17000'. Just prior to the occurrence there was heavy radio communications, with the controller at times failing to use full call signs, just #south. The PNF was talking to center and was receiving instructions for our flight when a TCAS traffic advisory was announced in our cockpit. This was so loud that I was unable to clearly hear ATC. We then were told, 'tell you what, just level at 14000 for now.' as I started a rather rapid level-off, due to our proximity to the assigned altitude, a TCAS RA was announced. Again this was extremely loud. Following the TCAS advisory climbed. During this maneuver the PNF was attempting to coordinate with ATC, but had a great deal of difficulty due to the extremely loud TCAS announcements. Upon leveling at 17000' we had doubts as to what ATC really wanted us to do. After a short discussion with the controller, most of the confusion seemed to be resolved. Unfortunately, I am left with the following problem: our TCAS installation may have actually contributed to causing a near midair collision by its extremely loud announcements. I cannot be completely positive that the 14000' altitude was indeed for us due the TCAS interference. We didn't receive the RA until after I initiated the level-off at 14000'. The successive and extremely loud TCAS announcements made it practically impossible to communicate with ATC and thus clarify altitude assignments.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IN CLIMB TO 17000' CTLR ADVISED 14000'. TCAS WARNING WAS SO LOUD FLT CREW DID NOT UNDERSTAND CLRNC. TCAS RA ORDERED CLIMB AND FLT CREW CLIMBED TO 17000', THEN DISCUSSED WITH ATC.

Narrative: DURING THE DEP CLB WE WERE CLRED TO 17000'. JUST PRIOR TO THE OCCURRENCE THERE WAS HEAVY RADIO COMS, WITH THE CTLR AT TIMES FAILING TO USE FULL CALL SIGNS, JUST #S. THE PNF WAS TALKING TO CENTER AND WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTIONS FOR OUR FLT WHEN A TCAS TFC ADVISORY WAS ANNOUNCED IN OUR COCKPIT. THIS WAS SO LOUD THAT I WAS UNABLE TO CLEARLY HEAR ATC. WE THEN WERE TOLD, 'TELL YOU WHAT, JUST LEVEL AT 14000 FOR NOW.' AS I STARTED A RATHER RAPID LEVEL-OFF, DUE TO OUR PROX TO THE ASSIGNED ALT, A TCAS RA WAS ANNOUNCED. AGAIN THIS WAS EXTREMELY LOUD. FOLLOWING THE TCAS ADVISORY CLBED. DURING THIS MANEUVER THE PNF WAS ATTEMPTING TO COORDINATE WITH ATC, BUT HAD A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFICULTY DUE TO THE EXTREMELY LOUD TCAS ANNOUNCEMENTS. UPON LEVELING AT 17000' WE HAD DOUBTS AS TO WHAT ATC REALLY WANTED US TO DO. AFTER A SHORT DISCUSSION WITH THE CTLR, MOST OF THE CONFUSION SEEMED TO BE RESOLVED. UNFORTUNATELY, I AM LEFT WITH THE FOLLOWING PROB: OUR TCAS INSTALLATION MAY HAVE ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTED TO CAUSING A NMAC BY ITS EXTREMELY LOUD ANNOUNCEMENTS. I CANNOT BE COMPLETELY POSITIVE THAT THE 14000' ALT WAS INDEED FOR US DUE THE TCAS INTERFERENCE. WE DIDN'T RECEIVE THE RA UNTIL AFTER I INITIATED THE LEVEL-OFF AT 14000'. THE SUCCESSIVE AND EXTREMELY LOUD TCAS ANNOUNCEMENTS MADE IT PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ATC AND THUS CLARIFY ALT ASSIGNMENTS.

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.