Air carrier has TCASII RA, climbs.

Attributes
ACN	203199
Time
Date	199202
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Large Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000
ASRS Report	203199
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	203095
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2500 vertical : 2500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

20 NM east of mem at FL280 our aircraft TCASII initiated a climb command due to conflicting traffic. Command required an immediate climb rate of 2000 FPM. Traffic (in red) was opposite direction and showing a -2.5 below. We climbed through FL289 before our TCASII commanded 'monitor vertical speed' and eventually the conflicting aircraft was well behind us when the RA terminated. Immediate notification was made to memphis center however we were already at 900 ft above our assigned altitude before they acknowledged our call (TCASII was still showing a -2.5 difference at FL289). We returned to FL280 and requested information about the aircraft. It was an large transport a type aircraft traveling opposite direction. They had just received a climb from FL250 to FL260. It was apparently during their climb when our TCASII interpreted the aircraft as a potential mid air and thus issued a RA. We radioed large transport a but they did not admit to anything unusual in their climb or cruise nor were they TCASII equipped. Memphis center also stated their equipment did not show an altitude excursion by large transport a. One curious aspect was that the -2.5 altitude differential with the aircraft never changed even with the 1000 ft climb that we initiated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS TCASII RA, CLBS.

Narrative: 20 NM E OF MEM AT FL280 OUR ACFT TCASII INITIATED A CLB COMMAND DUE TO CONFLICTING TFC. COMMAND REQUIRED AN IMMEDIATE CLB RATE OF 2000 FPM. TFC (IN RED) WAS OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND SHOWING A -2.5 BELOW. WE CLBED THROUGH FL289 BEFORE OUR TCASII COMMANDED 'MONITOR VERT SPD' AND EVENTUALLY THE CONFLICTING ACFT WAS WELL BEHIND US WHEN THE RA TERMINATED. IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION WAS MADE TO MEMPHIS CTR HOWEVER WE WERE ALREADY AT 900 FT ABOVE OUR ASSIGNED ALT BEFORE THEY ACKNOWLEDGED OUR CALL (TCASII WAS STILL SHOWING A -2.5 DIFFERENCE AT FL289). WE RETURNED TO FL280 AND REQUESTED INFO ABOUT THE ACFT. IT WAS AN LGT A TYPE ACFT TRAVELING OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THEY HAD JUST RECEIVED A CLB FROM FL250 TO FL260. IT WAS APPARENTLY DURING THEIR CLB WHEN OUR TCASII INTERPRETED THE ACFT AS A POTENTIAL MID AIR AND THUS ISSUED A RA. WE RADIOED LGT A BUT THEY DID NOT ADMIT TO ANYTHING UNUSUAL IN THEIR CLB OR CRUISE NOR WERE THEY TCASII EQUIPPED. MEMPHIS CTR ALSO STATED THEIR EQUIP DID NOT SHOW AN ALT EXCURSION BY LGT A. ONE CURIOUS ASPECT WAS THAT THE -2.5 ALT DIFFERENTIAL WITH THE ACFT NEVER CHANGED EVEN WITH THE 1000 FT CLB THAT WE 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.