Narrative:

We were climbing west of denver and were deviating north of J116 for thunderstorms over the front range. Our filed altitude was 31000 ft but we were cleared to 28000 ft. We were clear of the first line of cells and were proceeding direct to the meeker VOR, passing 27800 when a TCAS 'traffic' advisory or 'TA' was received. The radar had been set at 40 mi range for thunderstorm avoidance, so I selected 10 mi range to assist in acquiring the traffic. The target appeared at 11 O'clock and showed 900 ft above us. This made me realize that we may have overshot the level off, and we were indeed at 28100 and the copilot was correcting back. He had apparently been distracted by the advisory at the crucial moment of level off, just as I was. I am reluctant to blindly follow a TCAS command, or resolution advisory because the only RA I received was false. In fact, the previous day we had gotten a false traffic advisory at 100 ft AGL on short final. As a result, I make every attempt to identify the exact location of every TA, but this obviously can be a distraction. I would like to see TCAS work, but thus far I am suspicious. With 8 yrs experience in the air force as an air-to-air interceptor pilot, my backgnd provides me with an understanding of the problem and I am frustrated that I don't have a solution.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS TCASII TA AND ALT DEV.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING W OF DENVER AND WERE DEVIATING N OF J116 FOR TSTMS OVER THE FRONT RANGE. OUR FILED ALT WAS 31000 FT BUT WE WERE CLRED TO 28000 FT. WE WERE CLR OF THE FIRST LINE OF CELLS AND WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT TO THE MEEKER VOR, PASSING 27800 WHEN A TCAS 'TFC' ADVISORY OR 'TA' WAS RECEIVED. THE RADAR HAD BEEN SET AT 40 MI RANGE FOR TSTM AVOIDANCE, SO I SELECTED 10 MI RANGE TO ASSIST IN ACQUIRING THE TFC. THE TARGET APPEARED AT 11 O'CLOCK AND SHOWED 900 FT ABOVE US. THIS MADE ME REALIZE THAT WE MAY HAVE OVERSHOT THE LEVEL OFF, AND WE WERE INDEED AT 28100 AND THE COPLT WAS CORRECTING BACK. HE HAD APPARENTLY BEEN DISTRACTED BY THE ADVISORY AT THE CRUCIAL MOMENT OF LEVEL OFF, JUST AS I WAS. I AM RELUCTANT TO BLINDLY FOLLOW A TCAS COMMAND, OR RESOLUTION ADVISORY BECAUSE THE ONLY RA I RECEIVED WAS FALSE. IN FACT, THE PREVIOUS DAY WE HAD GOTTEN A FALSE TFC ADVISORY AT 100 FT AGL ON SHORT FINAL. AS A RESULT, I MAKE EVERY ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY THE EXACT LOCATION OF EVERY TA, BUT THIS OBVIOUSLY CAN BE A DISTR. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE TCAS WORK, BUT THUS FAR I AM SUSPICIOUS. WITH 8 YRS EXPERIENCE IN THE AIR FORCE AS AN AIR-TO-AIR INTERCEPTOR PLT, MY BACKGND PROVIDES ME WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM AND I AM FRUSTRATED THAT I DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION.

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.