Narrative:

Air carrier X at intermediate altitude of FL240, heading 300 degrees direct to costa VOR. We were told to turn right to 330 degrees. Seconds later we were told to turn left to 270 degrees. While in the turn we were told to turn further left to 240 degrees. We then got a TA on the TCASII system. The TA indicated 12 O'clock, 6 NM, 500 ft above us descending. The captain then said, 'I have the aircraft' and started a descent. We then got an RA indicating a climb was necessary. I said 'we need to climb.' the captain said 'I have the traffic visually' as he reversed the turn to the right while still descending. I then saw the traffic as it passed about 500 ft below us off our left side about 1000 ft laterally. The captain then passed control of the aircraft back to me and I started a climb back to FL240. A different controller then cleared us direct costa VOR and gave us a frequency change. At no time did a controller mention the traffic or question our altitude deviation. Supplemental information from acn 242204: I detected concern in the controller's voice and instructed the first officer to tighten up the turn. Before passing 270 degrees the relief pilot noticed traffic on the TCASII system. He then spotted the traffic visually and advised me to turn right to miss the traffic. I spotted the traffic, took control of the aircraft and entered a right turn. The other widebody transport spotted us and also entered a right bank away from us. We received an RA on the TCASII system during this turn. However, I was visually avoiding air carrier Y and did not climb since I would have to lose sight of air carrier Y and then transition back to inside the cockpit.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII TA RA NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC NON ADHERENCE TO TCASII RA HAD LTSS FROM WDB. EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN. PLTDEV.

Narrative: ACR X AT INTERMEDIATE ALT OF FL240, HDG 300 DEGS DIRECT TO COSTA VOR. WE WERE TOLD TO TURN R TO 330 DEGS. SECONDS LATER WE WERE TOLD TO TURN L TO 270 DEGS. WHILE IN THE TURN WE WERE TOLD TO TURN FURTHER L TO 240 DEGS. WE THEN GOT A TA ON THE TCASII SYS. THE TA INDICATED 12 O'CLOCK, 6 NM, 500 FT ABOVE US DSNDING. THE CAPT THEN SAID, 'I HAVE THE ACFT' AND STARTED A DSCNT. WE THEN GOT AN RA INDICATING A CLB WAS NECESSARY. I SAID 'WE NEED TO CLB.' THE CAPT SAID 'I HAVE THE TFC VISUALLY' AS HE REVERSED THE TURN TO THE R WHILE STILL DSNDING. I THEN SAW THE TFC AS IT PASSED ABOUT 500 FT BELOW US OFF OUR L SIDE ABOUT 1000 FT LATERALLY. THE CAPT THEN PASSED CTL OF THE ACFT BACK TO ME AND I STARTED A CLB BACK TO FL240. A DIFFERENT CTLR THEN CLRED US DIRECT COSTA VOR AND GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE. AT NO TIME DID A CTLR MENTION THE TFC OR QUESTION OUR ALTDEV. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 242204: I DETECTED CONCERN IN THE CTLR'S VOICE AND INSTRUCTED THE FO TO TIGHTEN UP THE TURN. BEFORE PASSING 270 DEGS THE RELIEF PLT NOTICED TFC ON THE TCASII SYS. HE THEN SPOTTED THE TFC VISUALLY AND ADVISED ME TO TURN R TO MISS THE TFC. I SPOTTED THE TFC, TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND ENTERED A R TURN. THE OTHER WDB SPOTTED US AND ALSO ENTERED A R BANK AWAY FROM US. WE RECEIVED AN RA ON THE TCASII SYS DURING THIS TURN. HOWEVER, I WAS VISUALLY AVOIDING ACR Y AND DID NOT CLB SINCE I WOULD HAVE TO LOSE SIGHT OF ACR Y AND THEN TRANSITION BACK TO INSIDE THE COCKPIT.

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.