Altitude deviation altitude excursion in response to TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	201003
Time
Date	199202
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	201003
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	200601
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

On our initial call to raleigh approach we advised them of the traffic point out from center and that we did not have the aircraft either visually or on TCASII display. Raleigh confirmed the track and altitude and squawk on the traffic. We visually acquired what appeared to be a white small aircraft aircraft traveling eastbound approximately 6 mi from our aircraft. The aircraft appeared to be at the appropriate VFR altitude of 3500 ft traveling eastbound. We advised raleigh approach that we had the traffic visually and then requested reverification from the controller that his transponder and mode C were operating and advised raleigh approach that we were not receiving a TCASII display of the aircraft. The controller verified again this track and altitude readout. The TCASII unit then displayed the aircraft momentarily at the top of the display as 'proximate traffic.' however, the TCASII unit did not track the aircraft and then the aircraft disappeared from the TCASII display. We maintained visual surveillance on the aircraft as the small aircraft passed off our 9 O'clock position. Suddenly the TCASII unit displayed a TA symbol touching the left wing of the TCASII display aircraft. The aural warning system announced 'traffic, traffic' then the display aircraft. The RA commanded a climb rate of 1500 FPM. The aural warning system announced 'climb, climb' but only twice. We immediately initiated a climb to comply with the RA and simultaneously notified ATC that we were initiating a 'TCASII directed climb.' at 4300 ft MSL the display returned the vsi/tra mode, however, the aural warning system did not issue a 'monitor vertical speed' or 'clear of conflict' advisory. We returned to our assigned altitude of 4000 ft MSL and the controller then advised us to call the tower once we landed. I contacted the raleigh TRACON supervisor who informed me that 'they' were required to file an altitude deviation report and conflict advisory against my certificate even though the action was TCASII initiated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION IN RESPONSE TO TCASII RA.

Narrative: ON OUR INITIAL CALL TO RALEIGH APCH WE ADVISED THEM OF THE TFC POINT OUT FROM CTR AND THAT WE DID NOT HAVE THE ACFT EITHER VISUALLY OR ON TCASII DISPLAY. RALEIGH CONFIRMED THE TRACK AND ALT AND SQUAWK ON THE TFC. WE VISUALLY ACQUIRED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A WHITE SMA ACFT TRAVELING EBOUND APPROX 6 MI FROM OUR ACFT. THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE AT THE APPROPRIATE VFR ALT OF 3500 FT TRAVELING EBOUND. WE ADVISED RALEIGH APCH THAT WE HAD THE TFC VISUALLY AND THEN REQUESTED REVERIFICATION FROM THE CTLR THAT HIS TRANSPONDER AND MODE C WERE OPERATING AND ADVISED RALEIGH APCH THAT WE WERE NOT RECEIVING A TCASII DISPLAY OF THE ACFT. THE CTLR VERIFIED AGAIN THIS TRACK AND ALT READOUT. THE TCASII UNIT THEN DISPLAYED THE ACFT MOMENTARILY AT THE TOP OF THE DISPLAY AS 'PROXIMATE TFC.' HOWEVER, THE TCASII UNIT DID NOT TRACK THE ACFT AND THEN THE ACFT DISAPPEARED FROM THE TCASII DISPLAY. WE MAINTAINED VISUAL SURVEILLANCE ON THE ACFT AS THE SMA PASSED OFF OUR 9 O'CLOCK POS. SUDDENLY THE TCASII UNIT DISPLAYED A TA SYMBOL TOUCHING THE L WING OF THE TCASII DISPLAY ACFT. THE AURAL WARNING SYS ANNOUNCED 'TFC, TFC' THEN THE DISPLAY ACFT. THE RA COMMANDED A CLB RATE OF 1500 FPM. THE AURAL WARNING SYS ANNOUNCED 'CLB, CLB' BUT ONLY TWICE. WE IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A CLB TO COMPLY WITH THE RA AND SIMULTANEOUSLY NOTIFIED ATC THAT WE WERE INITIATING A 'TCASII DIRECTED CLB.' AT 4300 FT MSL THE DISPLAY RETURNED THE VSI/TRA MODE, HOWEVER, THE AURAL WARNING SYS DID NOT ISSUE A 'MONITOR VERT SPD' OR 'CLR OF CONFLICT' ADVISORY. WE RETURNED TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 4000 FT MSL AND THE CTLR THEN ADVISED US TO CALL THE TWR ONCE WE LANDED. I CONTACTED THE RALEIGH TRACON SUPVR WHO INFORMED ME THAT 'THEY' WERE REQUIRED TO FILE AN ALT DEV RPT AND CONFLICT ADVISORY AGAINST MY CERTIFICATE EVEN THOUGH THE ACTION WAS TCASII INITIATED.

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.