Narrative:

While at cruise flight at FL280 on radar vectors for tulsa, I received an RA on TCASII and immediately followed it as per company procedure. I descended to 27500 ft before receiving a 'clear of conflict' and returning to FL280. The intruder was at FL290 also in cruise flight, heading the opposite direction. The controller, who was understandably quite upset, informed me afterwards that I had conflicting traffic at FL260. He also informed me that I was over a refueling route where the block altitudes are FL250-270. The controller was very busy and did not call out the intruder prior to my RA. I felt like this RA was unnecessary, but our company procedures direct us to follow all RA's unless we are in danger of hitting another aircraft. I did not acquire this intruder visually until after the RA. The TCASII showed we were within 700 ft and 3-4 mi at the closest point. The TCASII gives many TA's and RA's in the arrival and departure corridors which are quite annoying. Incidents like this one in areas of positive control do not build confidence in the equipment and have a real potential for disaster. This TCASII system has a long way to go before it is safe to follow blindly as our company procedures dictate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED CRUISE ALT IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA.

Narrative: WHILE AT CRUISE FLT AT FL280 ON RADAR VECTORS FOR TULSA, I RECEIVED AN RA ON TCASII AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED IT AS PER COMPANY PROC. I DSNDED TO 27500 FT BEFORE RECEIVING A 'CLR OF CONFLICT' AND RETURNING TO FL280. THE INTRUDER WAS AT FL290 ALSO IN CRUISE FLT, HDG THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE CTLR, WHO WAS UNDERSTANDABLY QUITE UPSET, INFORMED ME AFTERWARDS THAT I HAD CONFLICTING TFC AT FL260. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT I WAS OVER A REFUELING RTE WHERE THE BLOCK ALTS ARE FL250-270. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND DID NOT CALL OUT THE INTRUDER PRIOR TO MY RA. I FELT LIKE THIS RA WAS UNNECESSARY, BUT OUR COMPANY PROCS DIRECT US TO FOLLOW ALL RA'S UNLESS WE ARE IN DANGER OF HITTING ANOTHER ACFT. I DID NOT ACQUIRE THIS INTRUDER VISUALLY UNTIL AFTER THE RA. THE TCASII SHOWED WE WERE WITHIN 700 FT AND 3-4 MI AT THE CLOSEST POINT. THE TCASII GIVES MANY TA'S AND RA'S IN THE ARR AND DEP CORRIDORS WHICH ARE QUITE ANNOYING. INCIDENTS LIKE THIS ONE IN AREAS OF POSITIVE CTL DO NOT BUILD CONFIDENCE IN THE EQUIP AND HAVE A REAL POTENTIAL FOR DISASTER. THIS TCASII SYS HAS A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE IT IS SAFE TO FOLLOW BLINDLY AS OUR COMPANY PROCS DICTATE.

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.