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An air carrier large transport had a TCASII climb command. It followed the command, then resumed altitude. The other aircraft was seen on radar and visually.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 207727 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199204 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lga |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 tower : shv |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other 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 : 100 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 10000 |
| ASRS Report | 207727 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 1000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
We were on radar vectors 30 south of lga inbound to lga at 9000 ft. Controller called traffic at 8500 ft at 12 O'clock at 3 or 4 mi. TCASII responded with a TA. We had no visual sighting of the traffic. Then the TCASII responded with an RA of climb. We climbed immediately to approximately 9400 ft and the TCASII then showed 'red' at 0 FPM climb versus the previous 'red' 1500 ft climb. Then the TCASII was clear. Then the controller said he had us at 9500 ft and the traffic had us in sight and was no factor. After the TCASII was clear we descended back to 9000 ft. The controller sounded disturbed by the event and so were we. I called the approach control by phone after we were on the ground at lga. They said they appreciated the call and the explanation about the TCASII RA. They said there had been no conflict of traffic. To be in a heavy traffic area like lga and get an RA is perplexing to say the least because it presents a hesitation in your action or reaction. This hesitation is caused by a fear that there is more danger in leaving your position then staying where you are plus the other big fear that's always bumping safety in the butt and that is a violation. The initiation of following the RA was probably delayed by a second because of the above explained quandary. But previous experience earlier this month in an aircraft without a TCASII pushed the hesitation from my mind. Previous reliability of equipment also said to my mind -- 'climb now.' everything worked well. We never saw the traffic -- I would do the same again.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR LGT HAD A TCASII CLB COMMAND. IT FOLLOWED THE COMMAND, THEN RESUMED ALT. THE OTHER ACFT WAS SEEN ON RADAR AND VISUALLY.
Narrative: WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS 30 S OF LGA INBOUND TO LGA AT 9000 FT. CTLR CALLED TFC AT 8500 FT AT 12 O'CLOCK AT 3 OR 4 MI. TCASII RESPONDED WITH A TA. WE HAD NO VISUAL SIGHTING OF THE TFC. THEN THE TCASII RESPONDED WITH AN RA OF CLB. WE CLBED IMMEDIATELY TO APPROX 9400 FT AND THE TCASII THEN SHOWED 'RED' AT 0 FPM CLB VERSUS THE PREVIOUS 'RED' 1500 FT CLB. THEN THE TCASII WAS CLR. THEN THE CTLR SAID HE HAD US AT 9500 FT AND THE TFC HAD US IN SIGHT AND WAS NO FACTOR. AFTER THE TCASII WAS CLR WE DSNDED BACK TO 9000 FT. THE CTLR SOUNDED DISTURBED BY THE EVENT AND SO WERE WE. I CALLED THE APCH CTL BY PHONE AFTER WE WERE ON THE GND AT LGA. THEY SAID THEY APPRECIATED THE CALL AND THE EXPLANATION ABOUT THE TCASII RA. THEY SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO CONFLICT OF TFC. TO BE IN A HVY TFC AREA LIKE LGA AND GET AN RA IS PERPLEXING TO SAY THE LEAST BECAUSE IT PRESENTS A HESITATION IN YOUR ACTION OR REACTION. THIS HESITATION IS CAUSED BY A FEAR THAT THERE IS MORE DANGER IN LEAVING YOUR POS THEN STAYING WHERE YOU ARE PLUS THE OTHER BIG FEAR THAT'S ALWAYS BUMPING SAFETY IN THE BUTT AND THAT IS A VIOLATION. THE INITIATION OF FOLLOWING THE RA WAS PROBABLY DELAYED BY A SECOND BECAUSE OF THE ABOVE EXPLAINED QUANDARY. BUT PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE EARLIER THIS MONTH IN AN ACFT WITHOUT A TCASII PUSHED THE HESITATION FROM MY MIND. PREVIOUS RELIABILITY OF EQUIP ALSO SAID TO MY MIND -- 'CLB NOW.' EVERYTHING WORKED WELL. WE NEVER SAW THE TFC -- I WOULD DO THE SAME AGAIN.
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.