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Flight crew of an medium large transport air carrier aircraft climbed above assigned approach altitude in response to an apparent false TCASII RA.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 251343 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199309 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ord |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 250 |
| ASRS Report | 251343 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 370 |
| ASRS Report | 251444 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Radar vectors for approach 22R at ord. Heading 290 degrees, 3000 MSL vectored for approach. We had not received clearance to intercept, only hold 290 degree heading. TCASII gave RA showing 2 targets directly under us. Initiated climb to 4000 (at which altitude RA's discontinued). Told first officer to tell approach what we were doing. First officer said 'we've had an RA.' approach said, 'what's that mean? You're not going to be able to intercept?' I told him, we had received no intercept instructions, but we were going back to 3000 ft. Approach then gave intercept heading with approach clearance and handoff to tower. This presents a most undesirable situation. Everything looks great, then wham! The TCASII goes off. It apparently was a false alert. I called TRACON after we landed and supervisor said they had no traffic under us. Perhaps the problem is a software problem?
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT CLBED ABOVE ASSIGNED APCH ALT IN RESPONSE TO AN APPARENT FALSE TCASII RA.
Narrative: RADAR VECTORS FOR APCH 22R AT ORD. HDG 290 DEGS, 3000 MSL VECTORED FOR APCH. WE HAD NOT RECEIVED CLRNC TO INTERCEPT, ONLY HOLD 290 DEG HDG. TCASII GAVE RA SHOWING 2 TARGETS DIRECTLY UNDER US. INITIATED CLB TO 4000 (AT WHICH ALT RA'S DISCONTINUED). TOLD FO TO TELL APCH WHAT WE WERE DOING. FO SAID 'WE'VE HAD AN RA.' APCH SAID, 'WHAT'S THAT MEAN? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO INTERCEPT?' I TOLD HIM, WE HAD RECEIVED NO INTERCEPT INSTRUCTIONS, BUT WE WERE GOING BACK TO 3000 FT. APCH THEN GAVE INTERCEPT HDG WITH APCH CLRNC AND HDOF TO TWR. THIS PRESENTS A MOST UNDESIRABLE SIT. EVERYTHING LOOKS GREAT, THEN WHAM! THE TCASII GOES OFF. IT APPARENTLY WAS A FALSE ALERT. I CALLED TRACON AFTER WE LANDED AND SUPVR SAID THEY HAD NO TFC UNDER US. PERHAPS THE PROB IS A SOFTWARE PROB?
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.