An large transport air carrier crew had a false TCASII alert at the same time that their clearance was being changed to a departure that was not in their FMC data base.

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Attributes
ACN	217774
Time
Date	199208
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sli airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 50 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid enroute airway : zla
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	217774
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	217471
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Departing lax, runway 25R, cleared for loop 9. After takeoff, departure control turned us to heading 160 degrees which is not the normal loop 9 heading. A few mins later, he told us that we were on the laxx 1 departure and would be turning to sli soon. When turned to sli, we were cleared to 'seal beach and the daggett transition.' since the laxx 1 is not in the FMC data base, and since we were very close to sli, I entered sli, direct dag. At the same time, we switched the TCASII from TA to TA/RA and got an immediate full down RA which was obviously a 'glitch,' but which was still distracting. After passing sli, the controller asked us where we were going, and we, of course, realized that something was amiss. We checked the laxx 1 departure page and discovered the 'dog leg' between sli and dag. The controller seemed to be unconcerned, and cleared us direct to las. This was a typical 'combination of ingredients' error which is what leads to accidents. Supplemental information from acn 217471: this was a typical example of multiple inputs in a short time. Having the laxx 1 departure in the data base would have been a big help in avoiding this situation. TCASII false RA was a major distraction to normal operations in this case pointing out the importance of working out all 'bugs' in this system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LGT ACR CREW HAD A FALSE TCASII ALERT AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEIR CLRNC WAS BEING CHANGED TO A DEP THAT WAS NOT IN THEIR FMC DATA BASE.

Narrative: DEPARTING LAX, RWY 25R, CLRED FOR LOOP 9. AFTER TKOF, DEP CTL TURNED US TO HDG 160 DEGS WHICH IS NOT THE NORMAL LOOP 9 HDG. A FEW MINS LATER, HE TOLD US THAT WE WERE ON THE LAXX 1 DEP AND WOULD BE TURNING TO SLI SOON. WHEN TURNED TO SLI, WE WERE CLRED TO 'SEAL BEACH AND THE DAGGETT TRANSITION.' SINCE THE LAXX 1 IS NOT IN THE FMC DATA BASE, AND SINCE WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO SLI, I ENTERED SLI, DIRECT DAG. AT THE SAME TIME, WE SWITCHED THE TCASII FROM TA TO TA/RA AND GOT AN IMMEDIATE FULL DOWN RA WHICH WAS OBVIOUSLY A 'GLITCH,' BUT WHICH WAS STILL DISTRACTING. AFTER PASSING SLI, THE CTLR ASKED US WHERE WE WERE GOING, AND WE, OF COURSE, REALIZED THAT SOMETHING WAS AMISS. WE CHKED THE LAXX 1 DEP PAGE AND DISCOVERED THE 'DOG LEG' BTWN SLI AND DAG. THE CTLR SEEMED TO BE UNCONCERNED, AND CLRED US DIRECT TO LAS. THIS WAS A TYPICAL 'COMBINATION OF INGREDIENTS' ERROR WHICH IS WHAT LEADS TO ACCIDENTS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 217471: THIS WAS A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF MULTIPLE INPUTS IN A SHORT TIME. HAVING THE LAXX 1 DEP IN THE DATA BASE WOULD HAVE BEEN A BIG HELP IN AVOIDING THIS SITUATION. TCASII FALSE RA WAS A MAJOR DISTR TO NORMAL OPS IN THIS CASE POINTING OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING OUT ALL 'BUGS' IN THIS SYS.

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.