An large transport crew climbed in response to TCASII to avoid a widebody transport.

Attributes
ACN	215243
Time
Date	199207
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : orf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13100 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	215243
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude 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	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We were operating flight from ewr-mia in an large transport with 142 passengers on board. We were level at FL280. ZDC was asking about what our mach would be at FL310. Before I could reply, we got a TA followed by an immediate RA on the TCASII with a 'climb now' command. The first officer began a climb. ATC called out traffic at 3 mi, 12 O'clock at FL270. I told ATC we were climbing due to a TCASII alert and the controller immediately issued us a 30 degree left turn. The first officer saw a widebody transport climb out of an undercast and pass just off to our right. ATC told us that he had reported level at FL270. We were at 28900 and widebody transport was still climbing. Passing within 5-700 ft of us according to the TCASII display. We then climbed to FL310 and flew on to mia. TCASII was on level, 40 NM ring. The first display was a red alert within 5 NM of our position. It appears that the widebody transport professionals were in a fairly steep climb mode through their assigned altitude and thereby gave our TCASII little chance of much advanced warning. The entire scenario lasted 10-15 seconds. Our climb out of FL280 to avoid a collision with widebody transport caused no conflict with any additional traffic on the airway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LGT CREW CLBED IN RESPONSE TO TCASII TO AVOID A WDB.

Narrative: WE WERE OPERATING FLT FROM EWR-MIA IN AN LGT WITH 142 PAXS ON BOARD. WE WERE LEVEL AT FL280. ZDC WAS ASKING ABOUT WHAT OUR MACH WOULD BE AT FL310. BEFORE I COULD REPLY, WE GOT A TA FOLLOWED BY AN IMMEDIATE RA ON THE TCASII WITH A 'CLB NOW' COMMAND. THE FO BEGAN A CLB. ATC CALLED OUT TFC AT 3 MI, 12 O'CLOCK AT FL270. I TOLD ATC WE WERE CLBING DUE TO A TCASII ALERT AND THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY ISSUED US A 30 DEG L TURN. THE FO SAW A WDB CLB OUT OF AN UNDERCAST AND PASS JUST OFF TO OUR R. ATC TOLD US THAT HE HAD RPTED LEVEL AT FL270. WE WERE AT 28900 AND WDB WAS STILL CLBING. PASSING WITHIN 5-700 FT OF US ACCORDING TO THE TCASII DISPLAY. WE THEN CLBED TO FL310 AND FLEW ON TO MIA. TCASII WAS ON LEVEL, 40 NM RING. THE FIRST DISPLAY WAS A RED ALERT WITHIN 5 NM OF OUR POS. IT APPEARS THAT THE WDB PROFESSIONALS WERE IN A FAIRLY STEEP CLB MODE THROUGH THEIR ASSIGNED ALT AND THEREBY GAVE OUR TCASII LITTLE CHANCE OF MUCH ADVANCED WARNING. THE ENTIRE SCENARIO LASTED 10-15 SECONDS. OUR CLB OUT OF FL280 TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH WDB CAUSED NO CONFLICT WITH ANY ADDITIONAL TFC ON THE AIRWAY.

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.