Medium large transport on descent has TCASII TA then RA. Flight crew responded. Controller says noth...

Attributes
ACN	217235
Time
Date	199207
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
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 : 14000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	217235
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were on descent with approach control at dfw on vectors for 36L. The first officer was on IOE and it was his first trip in first officer seat. The clearance was descend from 5000 ft to 4000 ft. I noticed an aircraft on TCASII about 1 O'clock at 7 mi, 500 ft below our aircraft but climbing. TCASII issued 'traffic' and then 'monitor vertical speed.' the RA was not to climb and I kept 400-500 FPM descent. Quickly TCASII said 'descend, crossover, descend' meaning we were going through the other aircraft's altitude during RA. I was going to the depicted 1500 FPM descent when RA reversed to 'climb, climb now.' the intruder block passed beneath or almost beneath our symbol on TCASII indicating 200 ft below our altitude. During the climb, I told ATC 'climbing in response to an RA' and ATC answered, 'there's no one there!' either we had a near miss (never saw any aircraft) or we were fighting with a ghost!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ON DSCNT HAS TCASII TA THEN RA. FLC RESPONDED. CTLR SAYS NOTHING THERE!

Narrative: WE WERE ON DSCNT WITH APCH CTL AT DFW ON VECTORS FOR 36L. THE FO WAS ON IOE AND IT WAS HIS FIRST TRIP IN FO SEAT. THE CLRNC WAS DSND FROM 5000 FT TO 4000 FT. I NOTICED AN ACFT ON TCASII ABOUT 1 O'CLOCK AT 7 MI, 500 FT BELOW OUR ACFT BUT CLBING. TCASII ISSUED 'TFC' AND THEN 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' THE RA WAS NOT TO CLB AND I KEPT 400-500 FPM DSCNT. QUICKLY TCASII SAID 'DSND, CROSSOVER, DSND' MEANING WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE OTHER ACFT'S ALT DURING RA. I WAS GOING TO THE DEPICTED 1500 FPM DSCNT WHEN RA REVERSED TO 'CLB, CLB NOW.' THE INTRUDER BLOCK PASSED BENEATH OR ALMOST BENEATH OUR SYMBOL ON TCASII INDICATING 200 FT BELOW OUR ALT. DURING THE CLB, I TOLD ATC 'CLBING IN RESPONSE TO AN RA' AND ATC ANSWERED, 'THERE'S NO ONE THERE!' EITHER WE HAD A NEAR MISS (NEVER SAW ANY ACFT) OR WE WERE FIGHTING WITH A GHOST!

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.

Medium large transport on descent has TCASII TA then RA. Flight crew responded. Controller says nothing there!