Narrative:

We were on climb out from dtw passing through 8500' MSL when the TCAS system issued a TA. Both crew members immediately followed procedures and began looking for the aircraft causing the TA. We found the aircraft very soon; however, due to the distraction caused by this advisory, we climbed through out assigned altitude of 10000' to an altitude of approximately 10700'. When I looked back into the cockpit after identing the aircraft causing the advisory (turned out that it was the aircraft that had taken off just ahead of us and we never got closer it than standard ATC sep criterion). We were at 10000' climbing at a rate of 2000 FPM. To avoid a violent maneuver, it required 700' to arrest the climb and get the aircraft heading back to the assigned altitude. In my opinion, this event would have never happened if TCAS had not been installed and operational. The TA function of the TCAS should be eliminated from TCAS. The only thing that it accomplishes is to cause a distraction at the most inappropriate time. Although this is the first altitude deviation I have experience because of it, there have been numerous missed xmissions and other distrs caused by the TCAS giving TA's. I strongly feel that this feature should modified to at least eliminate the aural 'traffic, traffic' call.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR RECEIVED TA FROM TCASII EQUIPMENT. WHILE LOOKING FOR TRAFFIC, CLIMB ABOVE ASSIGNED.

Narrative: WE WERE ON CLBOUT FROM DTW PASSING THROUGH 8500' MSL WHEN THE TCAS SYS ISSUED A TA. BOTH CREW MEMBERS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED PROCS AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR THE ACFT CAUSING THE TA. WE FOUND THE ACFT VERY SOON; HOWEVER, DUE TO THE DISTR CAUSED BY THIS ADVISORY, WE CLBED THROUGH OUT ASSIGNED ALT OF 10000' TO AN ALT OF APPROX 10700'. WHEN I LOOKED BACK INTO THE COCKPIT AFTER IDENTING THE ACFT CAUSING THE ADVISORY (TURNED OUT THAT IT WAS THE ACFT THAT HAD TAKEN OFF JUST AHEAD OF US AND WE NEVER GOT CLOSER IT THAN STANDARD ATC SEP CRITERION). WE WERE AT 10000' CLBING AT A RATE OF 2000 FPM. TO AVOID A VIOLENT MANEUVER, IT REQUIRED 700' TO ARREST THE CLB AND GET THE ACFT HDG BACK TO THE ASSIGNED ALT. IN MY OPINION, THIS EVENT WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED IF TCAS HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED AND OPERATIONAL. THE TA FUNCTION OF THE TCAS SHOULD BE ELIMINATED FROM TCAS. THE ONLY THING THAT IT ACCOMPLISHES IS TO CAUSE A DISTR AT THE MOST INAPPROPRIATE TIME. ALTHOUGH THIS IS THE FIRST ALT DEVIATION I HAVE EXPERIENCE BECAUSE OF IT, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS MISSED XMISSIONS AND OTHER DISTRS CAUSED BY THE TCAS GIVING TA'S. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT THIS FEATURE SHOULD MODIFIED TO AT LEAST ELIMINATE THE AURAL 'TFC, TFC' CALL.

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.