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Flight crew of a widebody transport air carrier aircraft did not respond to a TCASII RA since it was a target already observed and pointed out by ATC.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 247595 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199307 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : aml airport : iad |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 15500 msl bound upper : 15500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zdc |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time type : 630 |
| ASRS Report | 247595 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 12000 vertical : 1000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
The aircraft was relatively light and climbing about 2500 FPM. Center reported traffic (VFR) but offered to let us continue climbing when we reported the traffic in sight. We were about 500 ft below the other aircraft when the captain suggested an increase in climb rate to increase our margin of comfort for clearing the other aircraft. Just as we seemed to be about to pass through the level of the other aircraft, the TCASII sounded an alert and directed a descent. Because we already seemed to be passing through the other aircraft's altitude at a high rate of climb, it took a moment for us to realize that the TCASII was calling for a descent. About that time, the TCASII warning ceased. To avoid such confusion in the future, it is likely we will choose to not report the other (VFR) aircraft in sight and accept the resultant altitude restriction for the short while it takes to travel well clear of the other aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF A WDB ACR ACFT DID NOT RESPOND TO A TCASII RA SINCE IT WAS A TARGET ALREADY OBSERVED AND POINTED OUT BY ATC.
Narrative: THE ACFT WAS RELATIVELY LIGHT AND CLBING ABOUT 2500 FPM. CTR RPTED TFC (VFR) BUT OFFERED TO LET US CONTINUE CLBING WHEN WE RPTED THE TFC IN SIGHT. WE WERE ABOUT 500 FT BELOW THE OTHER ACFT WHEN THE CAPT SUGGESTED AN INCREASE IN CLB RATE TO INCREASE OUR MARGIN OF COMFORT FOR CLRING THE OTHER ACFT. JUST AS WE SEEMED TO BE ABOUT TO PASS THROUGH THE LEVEL OF THE OTHER ACFT, THE TCASII SOUNDED AN ALERT AND DIRECTED A DSCNT. BECAUSE WE ALREADY SEEMED TO BE PASSING THROUGH THE OTHER ACFT'S ALT AT A HIGH RATE OF CLB, IT TOOK A MOMENT FOR US TO REALIZE THAT THE TCASII WAS CALLING FOR A DSCNT. ABOUT THAT TIME, THE TCASII WARNING CEASED. TO AVOID SUCH CONFUSION IN THE FUTURE, IT IS LIKELY WE WILL CHOOSE TO NOT RPT THE OTHER (VFR) ACFT IN SIGHT AND ACCEPT THE RESULTANT ALT RESTRICTION FOR THE SHORT WHILE IT TAKES TO TRAVEL WELL CLR OF THE OTHER ACFT.
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.