Air carrier altitude deviation responding to TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	187277
Time
Date	199108
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lrp
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7700 msl bound upper : 8200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : phl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 7200 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	187277
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Over the bucks intersection (lrp 104/26), level 8000 ft we received a TCAS traffic advisory. The captain attempted to obtain visual contact with the traffic. ATC advised us of the traffic and asked us if we wished to turn to avoid it. Simultaneously, the captain stated 'yes, we'll take a turn' and the TCAS issued a resolution advisory. As I relayed this request to ATC, the captain disconnected the autoplt and started a turn. The resolution advisory vsi displayed a slight climb indication, and the aural advisory stated 'climb, climb.' the captain, while still trying to obtain visual contact started to descend in the turn. I crosschecked his vsi against mine to insure that it indicated the same information that mine displayed. I immediately told him to 'climb into the green, you're descending.' he arrested his descent at 7700 ft and overshot to 8200 ft and stabilized at 8000 ft. We discussed the situation on landing. It was clear that the captain was focused on attaining visual contact. He never saw the climb indication in the vsi and the aural climb command did not impact his decision process. This was his first resolution advisory. Comments: TCAS resolution advisories need to be included in similar proficiency checks.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ALT DEV RESPONDING TO TCASII RA.

Narrative: OVER THE BUCKS INTXN (LRP 104/26), LEVEL 8000 FT WE RECEIVED A TCAS TFC ADVISORY. THE CAPT ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE TFC. ATC ADVISED US OF THE TFC AND ASKED US IF WE WISHED TO TURN TO AVOID IT. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE CAPT STATED 'YES, WE'LL TAKE A TURN' AND THE TCAS ISSUED A RESOLUTION ADVISORY. AS I RELAYED THIS REQUEST TO ATC, THE CAPT DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND STARTED A TURN. THE RESOLUTION ADVISORY VSI DISPLAYED A SLIGHT CLB INDICATION, AND THE AURAL ADVISORY STATED 'CLB, CLB.' THE CAPT, WHILE STILL TRYING TO OBTAIN VISUAL CONTACT STARTED TO DSND IN THE TURN. I XCHKED HIS VSI AGAINST MINE TO INSURE THAT IT INDICATED THE SAME INFO THAT MINE DISPLAYED. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD HIM TO 'CLB INTO THE GREEN, YOU'RE DSNDING.' HE ARRESTED HIS DSCNT AT 7700 FT AND OVERSHOT TO 8200 FT AND STABILIZED AT 8000 FT. WE DISCUSSED THE SITUATION ON LNDG. IT WAS CLR THAT THE CAPT WAS FOCUSED ON ATTAINING VISUAL CONTACT. HE NEVER SAW THE CLB INDICATION IN THE VSI AND THE AURAL CLB COMMAND DID NOT IMPACT HIS DECISION PROCESS. THIS WAS HIS FIRST RESOLUTION ADVISORY. COMMENTS: TCAS RESOLUTION ADVISORIES NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN SIMILAR PROFICIENCY CHKS.

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.