Medium large transport turns to evade a ship on the water that appeared as a TCASII TA.

Attributes
ACN	246204
Time
Date	199307
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	landing : missed approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4250 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	246204
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 97 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 97
ASRS Report	245506
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After a missed approach to runway 29 at koak, the tower controller gave us runway heading, climb to 2000 ft. He then handed us off to bay approach which gave us further instructions to turn 030 degrees and climb to 4000 ft. In the turn we received a TA on TCASII with no altitude readout. This target appeared to be getting closer to us as we continued our turn. The captain used his emergency authority and requested I turn back to the left away from the target. At no time were we given a TA by the controller. It was only later that we found out that this target was a ship in the harbor below us, that is equipped with a transponder. We should have been warned of the possible TCASII return by ATC. The ship should also not have been allowed in the harbor with a transponder on.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG TURNS TO EVADE A SHIP ON THE WATER THAT APPEARED AS A TCASII TA.

Narrative: AFTER A MISSED APCH TO RWY 29 AT KOAK, THE TWR CTLR GAVE US RWY HDG, CLB TO 2000 FT. HE THEN HANDED US OFF TO BAY APCH WHICH GAVE US FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN 030 DEGS AND CLB TO 4000 FT. IN THE TURN WE RECEIVED A TA ON TCASII WITH NO ALT READOUT. THIS TARGET APPEARED TO BE GETTING CLOSER TO US AS WE CONTINUED OUR TURN. THE CAPT USED HIS EMER AUTHORITY AND REQUESTED I TURN BACK TO THE L AWAY FROM THE TARGET. AT NO TIME WERE WE GIVEN A TA BY THE CTLR. IT WAS ONLY LATER THAT WE FOUND OUT THAT THIS TARGET WAS A SHIP IN THE HARBOR BELOW US, THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH A XPONDER. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WARNED OF THE POSSIBLE TCASII RETURN BY ATC. THE SHIP SHOULD ALSO NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED IN THE HARBOR WITH A XPONDER ON.

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.