Narrative:

I was the first officer flying the aircraft. Because of the thunderstorms and turbulence we had stopped our climb at 2500 ft MSL. Departure control was advised and we were told 'roger, pilot's discretion to 10000 ft, direct orl when able.' I had my full attention focused on flying the aircraft and looking outside for a hole to get above the shield clouds. When departure advised of the traffic at 12 O'clock, 3400 ft, unverified, the captain responded he had the traffic on TCASII but because of the WX (IMC) we did not have a visual. At the same time, I saw a hole at our 2 O'clock position and advised the captain I was continuing my climb to 10000 ft. I called for climb power, increased the power, rolled the aircraft into a 30 degree right banking turn and began a fairly aggressive climb to get above the WX. The captain, in an urgent voice, suddenly said 'hard right!' I immediately rolled into 40 degree bank and increased my climb. Soon after (30 seconds) we broke out of the WX and the captain advised me we almost hit an aircraft. I never saw the aircraft nor did we receive a TA from the TCASII (the TCASII was in TA/RA mode). The captain advised departure of what happened. 5 mins later, IFR traffic passed 1200 ft below us and we did get a TA 'traffic, traffic' (the TCASII also tested normally). Supplemental information from acn 249249: captain's ivsi displayed traffic plus 300 ft very close to our aircraft. We were IMC and could not get visual contact. Almost immediately the traffic symbol went off our TCASII displays. We received no associated verbal TA's or RA's.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT TURNED AND CLBED IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII COMMAND. THE RPTING ACFT WAS IN IMC.

Narrative: I WAS THE FO FLYING THE ACFT. BECAUSE OF THE TSTMS AND TURB WE HAD STOPPED OUR CLB AT 2500 FT MSL. DEP CTL WAS ADVISED AND WE WERE TOLD 'ROGER, PLT'S DISCRETION TO 10000 FT, DIRECT ORL WHEN ABLE.' I HAD MY FULL ATTN FOCUSED ON FLYING THE ACFT AND LOOKING OUTSIDE FOR A HOLE TO GET ABOVE THE SHIELD CLOUDS. WHEN DEP ADVISED OF THE TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, 3400 FT, UNVERIFIED, THE CAPT RESPONDED HE HAD THE TFC ON TCASII BUT BECAUSE OF THE WX (IMC) WE DID NOT HAVE A VISUAL. AT THE SAME TIME, I SAW A HOLE AT OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS AND ADVISED THE CAPT I WAS CONTINUING MY CLB TO 10000 FT. I CALLED FOR CLB PWR, INCREASED THE PWR, ROLLED THE ACFT INTO A 30 DEG R BANKING TURN AND BEGAN A FAIRLY AGGRESSIVE CLB TO GET ABOVE THE WX. THE CAPT, IN AN URGENT VOICE, SUDDENLY SAID 'HARD R!' I IMMEDIATELY ROLLED INTO 40 DEG BANK AND INCREASED MY CLB. SOON AFTER (30 SECONDS) WE BROKE OUT OF THE WX AND THE CAPT ADVISED ME WE ALMOST HIT AN ACFT. I NEVER SAW THE ACFT NOR DID WE RECEIVE A TA FROM THE TCASII (THE TCASII WAS IN TA/RA MODE). THE CAPT ADVISED DEP OF WHAT HAPPENED. 5 MINS LATER, IFR TFC PASSED 1200 FT BELOW US AND WE DID GET A TA 'TFC, TFC' (THE TCASII ALSO TESTED NORMALLY). SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 249249: CAPT'S IVSI DISPLAYED TFC PLUS 300 FT VERY CLOSE TO OUR ACFT. WE WERE IMC AND COULD NOT GET VISUAL CONTACT. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE TFC SYMBOL WENT OFF OUR TCASII DISPLAYS. WE RECEIVED NO ASSOCIATED VERBAL TA'S OR RA'S.

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.