2 TCASII RA's would have required extreme climbing escape maneuvers if the WX had not been VMC.

Attributes
ACN	240245
Time
Date	199304
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
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 : 14200 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	240245
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The first officer was flying the aircraft with the autoplt engaged. We were inbound to dfw on the acton arrival at 11000 ft when we received 2 TCASII warnings from 2 separate aircraft that were departing dfw and climbing to 10000 ft. Both times we received the aural warning with instructions to climb. When I looked at the vsi almost the entire circumference showed red. This would have required a climb of over 4000 FPM to comply with the TCASII instructions. Fortunately, we were able to see both aircraft and were able to continue inbound on the arrival at 11000 ft. If the visibility had been limited however, we would have been required to initiate a very steep climb. Initiating an unnecessary maximum performance climb right in the middle of the dfw TCA could be dangerous. TCASII is an invaluable aid. I now feel vulnerable whenever I fly without an operable unit. The TCASII worked properly in this incident. It seems to me that it is quite dangerous to routinely aim high performance aircraft that climb at a high rate directly at inbound flts. Requiring them to level off just 1000 ft below the inbound traffic leaves very little room for error. Sooner or later this is a recipe for disaster given the traffic volume at the dfw airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 TCASII RA'S WOULD HAVE REQUIRED EXTREME CLBING ESCAPE MANEUVERS IF THE WX HAD NOT BEEN VMC.

Narrative: THE FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT WITH THE AUTOPLT ENGAGED. WE WERE INBOUND TO DFW ON THE ACTON ARR AT 11000 FT WHEN WE RECEIVED 2 TCASII WARNINGS FROM 2 SEPARATE ACFT THAT WERE DEPARTING DFW AND CLBING TO 10000 FT. BOTH TIMES WE RECEIVED THE AURAL WARNING WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE VSI ALMOST THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE SHOWED RED. THIS WOULD HAVE REQUIRED A CLB OF OVER 4000 FPM TO COMPLY WITH THE TCASII INSTRUCTIONS. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO SEE BOTH ACFT AND WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE INBOUND ON THE ARR AT 11000 FT. IF THE VISIBILITY HAD BEEN LIMITED HOWEVER, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO INITIATE A VERY STEEP CLB. INITIATING AN UNNECESSARY MAX PERFORMANCE CLB RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DFW TCA COULD BE DANGEROUS. TCASII IS AN INVALUABLE AID. I NOW FEEL VULNERABLE WHENEVER I FLY WITHOUT AN OPERABLE UNIT. THE TCASII WORKED PROPERLY IN THIS INCIDENT. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT IS QUITE DANGEROUS TO ROUTINELY AIM HIGH PERFORMANCE ACFT THAT CLB AT A HIGH RATE DIRECTLY AT INBOUND FLTS. REQUIRING THEM TO LEVEL OFF JUST 1000 FT BELOW THE INBOUND TFC LEAVES VERY LITTLE ROOM FOR ERROR. SOONER OR LATER THIS IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER GIVEN THE TFC VOLUME AT THE DFW ARPT.

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.