Air carrier cleared to descend has TCASII RA to climb.

Attributes
ACN	212697
Time
Date	199206
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bdl
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17700 msl bound upper : 16500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7900 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	212697
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	212853
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flying flight from pit to bdl. We were on radar vectors to intercept rockdale 5 arrival and had a crossing clearance to cross stella at 11000 250 KIAS. Controller called traffic before descent. After we started descent, we got TA on TCASII at 16700 then RA climb. We climbed and after clear of conflict leveled aircraft at 17700 then went back into descent to meet crossing restriction. I called center from the airport and asked about the situation. I found out center was working the VFR at 16500 (same controller). I don't think he should have given us a descent with a VFR conflict that he was working and knew about without visual contact. The other aircraft had us in sight but we didn't have him until after we got climb from TCASII. According to our procedures we had to climb at min rate on vsi (we didn't know the aircraft had us in sight until after the event). Supplemental information from acn 212853. TCASII gave clear of conflict and descent to original clearance of 11000 ft started again. When ATC was asked why they descended us in to known VFR traffic, their reply was they are not required to separate us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CLRED TO DSND HAS TCASII RA TO CLB.

Narrative: FLYING FLT FROM PIT TO BDL. WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS TO INTERCEPT ROCKDALE 5 ARR AND HAD A XING CLRNC TO CROSS STELLA AT 11000 250 KIAS. CTLR CALLED TFC BEFORE DSCNT. AFTER WE STARTED DSCNT, WE GOT TA ON TCASII AT 16700 THEN RA CLB. WE CLBED AND AFTER CLR OF CONFLICT LEVELED ACFT AT 17700 THEN WENT BACK INTO DSCNT TO MEET XING RESTRICTION. I CALLED CTR FROM THE ARPT AND ASKED ABOUT THE SITUATION. I FOUND OUT CTR WAS WORKING THE VFR AT 16500 (SAME CTLR). I DON'T THINK HE SHOULD HAVE GIVEN US A DSCNT WITH A VFR CONFLICT THAT HE WAS WORKING AND KNEW ABOUT WITHOUT VISUAL CONTACT. THE OTHER ACFT HAD US IN SIGHT BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE HIM UNTIL AFTER WE GOT CLB FROM TCASII. ACCORDING TO OUR PROCS WE HAD TO CLB AT MIN RATE ON VSI (WE DIDN'T KNOW THE ACFT HAD US IN SIGHT UNTIL AFTER THE EVENT). SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 212853. TCASII GAVE CLR OF CONFLICT AND DSCNT TO ORIGINAL CLRNC OF 11000 FT STARTED AGAIN. WHEN ATC WAS ASKED WHY THEY DSNDED US IN TO KNOWN VFR TFC, THEIR REPLY WAS THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO SEPARATE US.

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.