Narrative:

This incident has created at least 3 believers in the TCASII system. Without the advanced warning provided by TCASII, I doubt there would have been sufficient reaction time to avoid a serious traffic conflict. Our aircraft, a heavy widebody transport, was climbing as filed to 10000 M (meters) or 32800 ft on A-593 after takeoff from pek. Operating in controled airspace, in contact with beijing approach, we were passing through 29600 ft 10 NM north of pm locator beacon. At this time, XA53Z, we received a yellow TA at 1130, minus 100 ft out of range ahead. All pilots searched for traffic ahead in the haze. 10-15 seconds after the TA, TCASII issued a RA to climb 1500 FPM. First officer was flying, disconnected autoplt and pitched up to directed rate of climb. At this point the so spotted traffic 12 O'clock same altitude called for left hand turn, first officer turned left 20 degree in climb. The traffic passed below to right with less than 500 ft vertical and (opposite direction level flight) 1/2 mi separation. Notified ATC and proceeded on course. As I stated before, I believe the TCASII system prevented a major incident. Beijing ATC showed no surprise or concern over this event, nor am I certain the other aircraft was aware of the conflict. I believe there were many contributing factors -- pm locator is the transfer point between beijing ATC and jinan control; most likely the 2 aircraft were with separate controllers. Local traffic in the procedure speaks chinese on center frequency making it impossible to follow other traffic in area. The conflict was with a local aircraft. 29600 ft corresponds to 9000 meters, the opposite direction fl on A-593. Hazy flight conditions precluded early pilot visual with traffic. In retrospect, the much held belief on the line that procedure ATC cannot be relied on for separation was upheld. This conflict occurred right where it could be most expected; on the airway, passing through a published cruise fl. The TCASII provided the crew with better eyes and more reaction time and in this case may have saved lives. No time should be wasted outfitting all fleets with TCASII.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB ACR ON CLBOUT HAS NMAC WITH SECOND WDB.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT HAS CREATED AT LEAST 3 BELIEVERS IN THE TCASII SYS. WITHOUT THE ADVANCED WARNING PROVIDED BY TCASII, I DOUBT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT REACTION TIME TO AVOID A SERIOUS TFC CONFLICT. OUR ACFT, A HVY WDB, WAS CLBING AS FILED TO 10000 M (METERS) OR 32800 FT ON A-593 AFTER TKOF FROM PEK. OPERATING IN CTLED AIRSPACE, IN CONTACT WITH BEIJING APCH, WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 29600 FT 10 NM N OF PM LOCATOR BEACON. AT THIS TIME, XA53Z, WE RECEIVED A YELLOW TA AT 1130, MINUS 100 FT OUT OF RANGE AHEAD. ALL PLTS SEARCHED FOR TFC AHEAD IN THE HAZE. 10-15 SECONDS AFTER THE TA, TCASII ISSUED A RA TO CLB 1500 FPM. FO WAS FLYING, DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND PITCHED UP TO DIRECTED RATE OF CLB. AT THIS POINT THE SO SPOTTED TFC 12 O'CLOCK SAME ALT CALLED FOR L HAND TURN, FO TURNED L 20 DEG IN CLB. THE TFC PASSED BELOW TO R WITH LESS THAN 500 FT VERT AND (OPPOSITE DIRECTION LEVEL FLT) 1/2 MI SEPARATION. NOTIFIED ATC AND PROCEEDED ON COURSE. AS I STATED BEFORE, I BELIEVE THE TCASII SYS PREVENTED A MAJOR INCIDENT. BEIJING ATC SHOWED NO SURPRISE OR CONCERN OVER THIS EVENT, NOR AM I CERTAIN THE OTHER ACFT WAS AWARE OF THE CONFLICT. I BELIEVE THERE WERE MANY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS -- PM LOCATOR IS THE TRANSFER POINT BTWN BEIJING ATC AND JINAN CTL; MOST LIKELY THE 2 ACFT WERE WITH SEPARATE CTLRS. LCL TFC IN THE PROC SPEAKS CHINESE ON CTR FREQ MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW OTHER TFC IN AREA. THE CONFLICT WAS WITH A LCL ACFT. 29600 FT CORRESPONDS TO 9000 METERS, THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FL ON A-593. HAZY FLT CONDITIONS PRECLUDED EARLY PLT VISUAL WITH TFC. IN RETROSPECT, THE MUCH HELD BELIEF ON THE LINE THAT PROC ATC CANNOT BE RELIED ON FOR SEPARATION WAS UPHELD. THIS CONFLICT OCCURRED RIGHT WHERE IT COULD BE MOST EXPECTED; ON THE AIRWAY, PASSING THROUGH A PUBLISHED CRUISE FL. THE TCASII PROVIDED THE CREW WITH BETTER EYES AND MORE REACTION TIME AND IN THIS CASE MAY HAVE SAVED LIVES. NO TIME SHOULD BE WASTED OUTFITTING ALL FLEETS WITH TCASII.

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.