Air carrier reporter complains about the loudness of the TCAS and the nuance alerts while approachin...

Attributes
ACN	169234
Time
Date	199101
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1200 agl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	169234
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

TCAS aural warnings are too loud and inappropriate. They are so loud as to be extremely and totally distraction. I jumped when I first heard it, the (during approach in la basin with numerous aircraft) found myself spending time and attention figuring out when I was going to get an aural warning just so I could steal myself mentally to endure the startle reflex (all of this while I was flying an approach). Someone is going to die because of this severe distraction. We also receive numerous inappropriate warnings at cruise, received warning of aircraft 10 mi away and 1900' above or below. Apparently TCAS sensed altitude moving from 2000' to 1900', projected trend for entire 2000' and saw conflict but 100' deviation sensed could be 10' movement across threshold and inappropriate. Need different tolerances. On approach(es) at 1200' AGL in la basin; received full down vui command on RA from VFR traffic 500' above; called by approach and visly acquired by me. At 1200' AGL, I chose not to follow RA because of terrain; what if I had been in WX, low visibility, or no visibility contact with VFR? Again inappropriate responses to high traffic congestion environment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR REPORTER COMPLAINS ABOUT THE LOUDNESS OF THE TCAS AND THE NUANCE ALERTS WHILE APCHING LAX.

Narrative: TCAS AURAL WARNINGS ARE TOO LOUD AND INAPPROPRIATE. THEY ARE SO LOUD AS TO BE EXTREMELY AND TOTALLY DISTR. I JUMPED WHEN I FIRST HEARD IT, THE (DURING APCH IN LA BASIN WITH NUMEROUS ACFT) FOUND MYSELF SPENDING TIME AND ATTN FIGURING OUT WHEN I WAS GOING TO GET AN AURAL WARNING JUST SO I COULD STEAL MYSELF MENTALLY TO ENDURE THE STARTLE REFLEX (ALL OF THIS WHILE I WAS FLYING AN APCH). SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF THIS SEVERE DISTR. WE ALSO RECEIVE NUMEROUS INAPPROPRIATE WARNINGS AT CRUISE, RECEIVED WARNING OF ACFT 10 MI AWAY AND 1900' ABOVE OR BELOW. APPARENTLY TCAS SENSED ALT MOVING FROM 2000' TO 1900', PROJECTED TREND FOR ENTIRE 2000' AND SAW CONFLICT BUT 100' DEV SENSED COULD BE 10' MOVEMENT ACROSS THRESHOLD AND INAPPROPRIATE. NEED DIFFERENT TOLERANCES. ON APCH(ES) AT 1200' AGL IN LA BASIN; RECEIVED FULL DOWN VUI COMMAND ON RA FROM VFR TFC 500' ABOVE; CALLED BY APCH AND VISLY ACQUIRED BY ME. AT 1200' AGL, I CHOSE NOT TO FOLLOW RA BECAUSE OF TERRAIN; WHAT IF I HAD BEEN IN WX, LOW VISIBILITY, OR NO VIS CONTACT WITH VFR? AGAIN INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSES TO HIGH TFC CONGESTION ENVIRONMENT.

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.

Air carrier reporter complains about the loudness of the TCAS and the nuance alerts while approaching lax.