Air carrier crew receives TCASII RA to climb but sees traffic above descending.

Attributes
ACN	239033
Time
Date	199304
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lin
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25900 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
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
Route In Use	enroute airway : zoa
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	239033
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were climbing with a clearance to level at FL260. At approximately FL25.5 the TCASII alerted us to traffic at 12 O'clock. At FL25.9 as we were leveling we received TCASII RA -- climb crossing climb. We started a climb and received another RA -- descend, descend now. We noticed that our traffic was descending and had leveled at FL270. I was slow to follow the TCASII alert because of lack of confidence in the TCASII system which has now just been reinforced! Had we followed the TCASII we would have lost our separation with the traffic 1000 ft above us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW RECEIVES TCASII RA TO CLB BUT SEES TFC ABOVE DSNDING.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING WITH A CLRNC TO LEVEL AT FL260. AT APPROX FL25.5 THE TCASII ALERTED US TO TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK. AT FL25.9 AS WE WERE LEVELING WE RECEIVED TCASII RA -- CLB XING CLB. WE STARTED A CLB AND RECEIVED ANOTHER RA -- DSND, DSND NOW. WE NOTICED THAT OUR TFC WAS DSNDING AND HAD LEVELED AT FL270. I WAS SLOW TO FOLLOW THE TCASII ALERT BECAUSE OF LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THE TCASII SYS WHICH HAS NOW JUST BEEN REINFORCED! HAD WE FOLLOWED THE TCASII WE WOULD HAVE LOST OUR SEPARATION WITH THE TFC 1000 FT ABOVE US.

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.