TCASII RA creates and altitude deviation altitude excursion by PIC.

Attributes
ACN	199889
Time
Date	199201
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vuz
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 5080 flight time type : 1380
ASRS Report	199889
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	200132
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our aircraft was in level flight with the autoplt and altitude hold engaged. We were passing over vulcan VOR (vuz 114.4). We received a TA on TCASII with a target just appearing on our screen at our altitude, followed by a TCASII RA to descend with the target at distance of approximately 8 mi ahead. An immediate descent was initiated and ATC was advised. A second target appeared a couple of seconds later as if it were a flight of 2. As we descended through FL345, both targets disappeared and the TCASII screen went void of all warnings. The TCASII unit also did not provide a þclr of conflictþ aural annunciation. At that point we leveled off at FL340. ATC advised us that there was no traffic at our location at FL350 and instructed us to climb back up to FL350 which we did immediately. I must assume what we had experienced was a false TCASII RA and a logbook write-up was made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCASII RA CREATES AND ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION BY PIC.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS IN LEVEL FLT WITH THE AUTOPLT AND ALT HOLD ENGAGED. WE WERE PASSING OVER VULCAN VOR (VUZ 114.4). WE RECEIVED A TA ON TCASII WITH A TARGET JUST APPEARING ON OUR SCREEN AT OUR ALT, FOLLOWED BY A TCASII RA TO DSND WITH THE TARGET AT DISTANCE OF APPROX 8 MI AHEAD. AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT WAS INITIATED AND ATC WAS ADVISED. A SECOND TARGET APPEARED A COUPLE OF SECONDS LATER AS IF IT WERE A FLT OF 2. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH FL345, BOTH TARGETS DISAPPEARED AND THE TCASII SCREEN WENT VOID OF ALL WARNINGS. THE TCASII UNIT ALSO DID NOT PROVIDE A þCLR OF CONFLICTþ AURAL ANNUNCIATION. AT THAT POINT WE LEVELED OFF AT FL340. ATC ADVISED US THAT THERE WAS NO TFC AT OUR LOCATION AT FL350 AND INSTRUCTED US TO CLB BACK UP TO FL350 WHICH WE DID IMMEDIATELY. I MUST ASSUME WHAT WE HAD EXPERIENCED WAS A FALSE TCASII RA AND A LOGBOOK WRITE-UP WAS MADE.

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.