Large transport at cruise has TCASII RA. Responds with climb, turn and notifies ATC.

Attributes
ACN	207248
Time
Date	199204
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	207248
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
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	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were flying a 4 hour flight from ord to san at 35000 ft when suddenly the cockpit silence was broken by a TCASII traffic alert. I looked at TCASII and saw that the targetþs altitude was closing on ours! The TA was followed shortly by an RA when the target (air carrier B) was 700 ft below us. We followed the RA into a climb while turning right (away from the traffic which I could now see) and notified center of our actions. The air carrier B flight started a right descending turn. Simultaneously, ZAB cleared us to FL390 and air carrier B to FL290. We passed without incident. I do not know if this incident was caused by center or the air carrier B pilots flying through their assigned altitude? I don know that TCASII saved us from a potentially dangerous situation. Iþm glad it was there!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT AT CRUISE HAS TCASII RA. RESPONDS WITH CLB, TURN AND NOTIFIES ATC.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING A 4 HR FLT FROM ORD TO SAN AT 35000 FT WHEN SUDDENLY THE COCKPIT SILENCE WAS BROKEN BY A TCASII TFC ALERT. I LOOKED AT TCASII AND SAW THAT THE TARGETþS ALT WAS CLOSING ON OURS! THE TA WAS FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY AN RA WHEN THE TARGET (ACR B) WAS 700 FT BELOW US. WE FOLLOWED THE RA INTO A CLB WHILE TURNING R (AWAY FROM THE TFC WHICH I COULD NOW SEE) AND NOTIFIED CTR OF OUR ACTIONS. THE ACR B FLT STARTED A R DSNDING TURN. SIMULTANEOUSLY, ZAB CLRED US TO FL390 AND ACR B TO FL290. WE PASSED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY CTR OR THE ACR B PLTS FLYING THROUGH THEIR ASSIGNED ALT? I DON KNOW THAT TCASII SAVED US FROM A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IþM GLAD IT WAS THERE!

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.