Medium large transport has TCASII RA. Climbs a directed but no sighting of traffic.

Attributes
ACN	213650
Time
Date	199206
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 170
ASRS Report	213650
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Center descended us to 1000 ft and called traffic 1-2 O'clock 4 mi. We never saw traffic and almost simultaneously received a TA on TCASII followed by RA of about 400 ft climbing right turn. Returned to level flight and told controller we never saw traffic. Once again, he verified traffic was present. After landing I called both center and approach control and they both said our slight deviation presented no problem to them. They again said that traffic was indicated but they were not working him. Electronic cockpits are wonderful when you don't have to make adjustments. But, with continual changes in airspeed, altitude, heading, etc., putting your head back into the cockpit for reprogramming seems extremely stupid as well as unsafe. We need to focus on simply flying the airplane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS TCASII RA. CLBS A DIRECTED BUT NO SIGHTING OF TFC.

Narrative: CTR DSNDED US TO 1000 FT AND CALLED TFC 1-2 O'CLOCK 4 MI. WE NEVER SAW TFC AND ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY RECEIVED A TA ON TCASII FOLLOWED BY RA OF ABOUT 400 FT CLBING R TURN. RETURNED TO LEVEL FLT AND TOLD CTLR WE NEVER SAW TFC. ONCE AGAIN, HE VERIFIED TFC WAS PRESENT. AFTER LNDG I CALLED BOTH CTR AND APCH CTL AND THEY BOTH SAID OUR SLIGHT DEV PRESENTED NO PROBLEM TO THEM. THEY AGAIN SAID THAT TFC WAS INDICATED BUT THEY WERE NOT WORKING HIM. ELECTRONIC COCKPITS ARE WONDERFUL WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS. BUT, WITH CONTINUAL CHANGES IN AIRSPD, ALT, HDG, ETC., PUTTING YOUR HEAD BACK INTO THE COCKPIT FOR REPROGRAMMING SEEMS EXTREMELY STUPID AS WELL AS UNSAFE. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON SIMPLY FLYING THE AIRPLANE.

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.