Air carrier X TCASII RA descend had conflict with Y. See and avoid concept. Evasive action taken.

Attributes
ACN	230256
Time
Date	199301
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tus
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute airway : zab
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 145 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	230256
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Altitude was 14000 ft, southeast of totec intersection and in contact with ZAB. Abq called VFR traffic Y (that they were working) to us at 12 O'clock and about 6 mi, climbing to 14500 ft. We advised we were looking but nothing in sight and to keep us advised. Our TCASII showed the traffic Y and his relative altitude to us. As we began to get closer, I altered my course about 8-10 degree left which resulted in the 12-12:30 traffic Y moving to 1 O'clock or 1:30. We still were looking for the traffic Y and aware that 12 O'clock traffic more often than not appears at 1-2 or 11-10 but we did have this traffic on the TCASII. Abq now calls the traffic at 12 O'clock and 2 mi. Again we replied no contact. The TCASII showed the traffic Y at about 1:30-2 O'clock and 2 mi and 200 ft below us, climbing slowly. I again looked out and didn't see the traffic Y but felt that the developing picture on the TCASII was acceptable but minimal, but again changed heading to the left to help the horizontal clearance. As I was in the left turn, the TCASII sounded an RA and commanded a 2000 FPM descent. I began the descent and added additional left bank. As we descended, the first officer advised traffic in sight at about 3 O'clock and 1-1 1/2 mi. At 13750 ft the TCASII sounded 'clear of conflict' and we returned to 14000 ft. I never saw the traffic. I felt that the original conflict (prior to any turns by me) could have been much more serious. But after watching the situation develop and altering my courses twice to the left I was very surprised to get an RA from the TCASII. While descending in the RA I looked at the screen for another aircraft but saw none. I don't understand why radar separation wasn't provided by abq who was in contact with both of us. Abq asked me to call when we landed and they said that the traffic was a parachuting aircraft they had had trouble with before in the area and were trying to put a case together against. We talked for several mins and the further we progressed in the conversation , the more I got the feeling that we had purposely been left on our course to help with their case.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII RA DSND HAD CONFLICT WITH Y. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT. EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN.

Narrative: ALT WAS 14000 FT, SE OF TOTEC INTXN AND IN CONTACT WITH ZAB. ABQ CALLED VFR TFC Y (THAT THEY WERE WORKING) TO US AT 12 O'CLOCK AND ABOUT 6 MI, CLBING TO 14500 FT. WE ADVISED WE WERE LOOKING BUT NOTHING IN SIGHT AND TO KEEP US ADVISED. OUR TCASII SHOWED THE TFC Y AND HIS RELATIVE ALT TO US. AS WE BEGAN TO GET CLOSER, I ALTERED MY COURSE ABOUT 8-10 DEG L WHICH RESULTED IN THE 12-12:30 TFC Y MOVING TO 1 O'CLOCK OR 1:30. WE STILL WERE LOOKING FOR THE TFC Y AND AWARE THAT 12 O'CLOCK TFC MORE OFTEN THAN NOT APPEARS AT 1-2 OR 11-10 BUT WE DID HAVE THIS TFC ON THE TCASII. ABQ NOW CALLS THE TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK AND 2 MI. AGAIN WE REPLIED NO CONTACT. THE TCASII SHOWED THE TFC Y AT ABOUT 1:30-2 O'CLOCK AND 2 MI AND 200 FT BELOW US, CLBING SLOWLY. I AGAIN LOOKED OUT AND DIDN'T SEE THE TFC Y BUT FELT THAT THE DEVELOPING PICTURE ON THE TCASII WAS ACCEPTABLE BUT MINIMAL, BUT AGAIN CHANGED HDG TO THE L TO HELP THE HORIZ CLRNC. AS I WAS IN THE L TURN, THE TCASII SOUNDED AN RA AND COMMANDED A 2000 FPM DSCNT. I BEGAN THE DSCNT AND ADDED ADDITIONAL L BANK. AS WE DSNDED, THE FO ADVISED TFC IN SIGHT AT ABOUT 3 O'CLOCK AND 1-1 1/2 MI. AT 13750 FT THE TCASII SOUNDED 'CLR OF CONFLICT' AND WE RETURNED TO 14000 FT. I NEVER SAW THE TFC. I FELT THAT THE ORIGINAL CONFLICT (PRIOR TO ANY TURNS BY ME) COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SERIOUS. BUT AFTER WATCHING THE SITUATION DEVELOP AND ALTERING MY COURSES TWICE TO THE L I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO GET AN RA FROM THE TCASII. WHILE DSNDING IN THE RA I LOOKED AT THE SCREEN FOR ANOTHER ACFT BUT SAW NONE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY RADAR SEPARATION WASN'T PROVIDED BY ABQ WHO WAS IN CONTACT WITH BOTH OF US. ABQ ASKED ME TO CALL WHEN WE LANDED AND THEY SAID THAT THE TFC WAS A PARACHUTING ACFT THEY HAD HAD TROUBLE WITH BEFORE IN THE AREA AND WERE TRYING TO PUT A CASE TOGETHER AGAINST. WE TALKED FOR SEVERAL MINS AND THE FURTHER WE PROGRESSED IN THE CONVERSATION , THE MORE I GOT THE FEELING THAT WE HAD PURPOSELY BEEN LEFT ON OUR COURSE TO HELP WITH THEIR CASE.

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.