Narrative:

False TCASII RA at 500 ft AGL. Short final at boston logan airport. Visual approach 4L. Since this was obviously a false indication we did not initiate a go around. Normal landing made. Called logan tower area manager to discuss TCASII advisory. He said he would make report to washington, dc. Possible contributing factor was another aircraft landing 4R side by side. However, TCASII showed that aircraft as a TA. Possible boat in harbor set TCASII off. Only 1 small (approximately 40 ft) docked boat was noted by us. Tower said they saw no boats in harbor. No other explanation for TCASII advisory. Supplemental information from acn 205793: it was obvious to both of us that this was a false RA. The tower was questioned about ships in the harbor and said there were none. I'm writing this because company policy is to respond to every RA. I believe our course of action correct, but a formal report will probably never be filed due to the violation of that policy. It's a sad state of affairs when a captain cannot report incidents such as this without fear of FAA enforcement action. I'm also very concerned that the FAA is going ahead with TCASII installation with software that does this. A go around from this situation with a large change in pitch attitude, requires a lot of pilot skill, scares the passenger, and causes potential traffic problems for tower. All of which can be done ok on a VFR day. But what if this were 4R, IFR. Bottom line: ship or boats of any kind should be prohibited from stopping or tying up at the end of any runway at bos or anywhere else.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ACFT EXPERIENCED A TCASII ALERT WARNING ON FINAL WHICH APPARENTLY CAME FROM A BOAT IN THE HARBOR.

Narrative: FALSE TCASII RA AT 500 FT AGL. SHORT FINAL AT BOSTON LOGAN ARPT. VISUAL APCH 4L. SINCE THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A FALSE INDICATION WE DID NOT INITIATE A GAR. NORMAL LNDG MADE. CALLED LOGAN TWR AREA MGR TO DISCUSS TCASII ADVISORY. HE SAID HE WOULD MAKE RPT TO WASHINGTON, DC. POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS ANOTHER ACFT LNDG 4R SIDE BY SIDE. HOWEVER, TCASII SHOWED THAT ACFT AS A TA. POSSIBLE BOAT IN HARBOR SET TCASII OFF. ONLY 1 SMALL (APPROX 40 FT) DOCKED BOAT WAS NOTED BY US. TWR SAID THEY SAW NO BOATS IN HARBOR. NO OTHER EXPLANATION FOR TCASII ADVISORY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 205793: IT WAS OBVIOUS TO BOTH OF US THAT THIS WAS A FALSE RA. THE TWR WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT SHIPS IN THE HARBOR AND SAID THERE WERE NONE. I'M WRITING THIS BECAUSE COMPANY POLICY IS TO RESPOND TO EVERY RA. I BELIEVE OUR COURSE OF ACTION CORRECT, BUT A FORMAL RPT WILL PROBABLY NEVER BE FILED DUE TO THE VIOLATION OF THAT POLICY. IT'S A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS WHEN A CAPT CANNOT RPT INCIDENTS SUCH AS THIS WITHOUT FEAR OF FAA ENFORCEMENT ACTION. I'M ALSO VERY CONCERNED THAT THE FAA IS GOING AHEAD WITH TCASII INSTALLATION WITH SOFTWARE THAT DOES THIS. A GAR FROM THIS SITUATION WITH A LARGE CHANGE IN PITCH ATTITUDE, REQUIRES A LOT OF PLT SKILL, SCARES THE PAX, AND CAUSES POTENTIAL TFC PROBLEMS FOR TWR. ALL OF WHICH CAN BE DONE OK ON A VFR DAY. BUT WHAT IF THIS WERE 4R, IFR. BOTTOM LINE: SHIP OR BOATS OF ANY KIND SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM STOPPING OR TYING UP AT THE END OF ANY RWY AT BOS OR ANYWHERE ELSE.

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.