Narrative:

Air carrier X, on vectors to the bdl airport level at 5000 ft on an easterly heading. Cpr Y, departed the baf airport, on a 270 degree heading climbing to 4000 ft. Traffic was exchanged to both aircraft, cpr Y climbing out of 3600 ft, approximately 6 NM apart converging head on. After advising cpr Y of air carrier X, cpr Y pilot reiterated that he was climbing to 4000 ft. At this point, air carrier X advised he received an 'RA' on TCASII to climb, and did so. No loss of separation occurred. I have deep reservations about the use of the TCASII system. As policy is written now, it is inherent of the pilot to take the prescribed action, regardless of what he is told. I have had instances where I have called traffic to an air carrier, 'traffic 11- 12 O'clock, 5 mi, nebound, altitude unknown', and had the pilot advise that he has him on TCASII at 800 ft. All well and good, except the traffic is not showing a secondary beacon slash or mode C, in other words, he is a primary. The traffic the TCASII displayed was 10 O'clock and 6 NM circling at the skylark airport at 800 ft. I personally feel that the system is not up to speed to account for pilots taking actions regardless of what the controller has said. Maybe mode south will eliminate the problems, but at this time, I think TCASII is more of a hazard than a help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC (UNAUTHORIZED CLB FROM ASSIGNED ALT). PLTDEV. TCASII RA EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN.

Narrative: ACR X, ON VECTORS TO THE BDL ARPT LEVEL AT 5000 FT ON AN EASTERLY HDG. CPR Y, DEPARTED THE BAF ARPT, ON A 270 DEG HDG CLBING TO 4000 FT. TFC WAS EXCHANGED TO BOTH ACFT, CPR Y CLBING OUT OF 3600 FT, APPROX 6 NM APART CONVERGING HEAD ON. AFTER ADVISING CPR Y OF ACR X, CPR Y PLT REITERATED THAT HE WAS CLBING TO 4000 FT. AT THIS POINT, ACR X ADVISED HE RECEIVED AN 'RA' ON TCASII TO CLB, AND DID SO. NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED. I HAVE DEEP RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE USE OF THE TCASII SYS. AS POLICY IS WRITTEN NOW, IT IS INHERENT OF THE PLT TO TAKE THE PRESCRIBED ACTION, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HE IS TOLD. I HAVE HAD INSTANCES WHERE I HAVE CALLED TFC TO AN ACR, 'TFC 11- 12 O'CLOCK, 5 MI, NEBOUND, ALT UNKNOWN', AND HAD THE PLT ADVISE THAT HE HAS HIM ON TCASII AT 800 FT. ALL WELL AND GOOD, EXCEPT THE TFC IS NOT SHOWING A SECONDARY BEACON SLASH OR MODE C, IN OTHER WORDS, HE IS A PRIMARY. THE TFC THE TCASII DISPLAYED WAS 10 O'CLOCK AND 6 NM CIRCLING AT THE SKYLARK ARPT AT 800 FT. I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT THE SYS IS NOT UP TO SPD TO ACCOUNT FOR PLTS TAKING ACTIONS REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE CTLR HAS SAID. MAYBE MODE S WILL ELIMINATE THE PROBLEMS, BUT AT THIS TIME, I THINK TCASII IS MORE OF A HAZARD THAN A HELP.

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.