Air carrier X TCASII RA had less than standard separation from air carrier Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	252366
Time
Date	199309
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca tracon : iad
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 17385 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	252366
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	252294
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Air carrier X climbing to 5000 ft on the 328 degree radial of dca. We checked in on dca departure control 125.65. Due to numerous aircraft we were either stepped on or dca departure control did not acknowledge our transmission. Dca departure was called again with the same negative response. Approximately 20 DME from dca, a third transmission was made whereby we were switched over to dulles departure control. Dulles departure gave us a turn on course and a climb. At that moment our TCASII gave us an RA. The controller said that there was no problem because the approaching air carrier Y was already descending as well as we were climbing and turning. We were turned back to dca departure control 125.65. Dca asked, 'did we miss his call or did we miss his?' we said that we called a couple of times without acknowledgement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII RA HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X CLBING TO 5000 FT ON THE 328 DEG RADIAL OF DCA. WE CHKED IN ON DCA DEP CTL 125.65. DUE TO NUMEROUS ACFT WE WERE EITHER STEPPED ON OR DCA DEP CTL DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OUR XMISSION. DCA DEP WAS CALLED AGAIN WITH THE SAME NEGATIVE RESPONSE. APPROX 20 DME FROM DCA, A THIRD XMISSION WAS MADE WHEREBY WE WERE SWITCHED OVER TO DULLES DEP CTL. DULLES DEP GAVE US A TURN ON COURSE AND A CLB. AT THAT MOMENT OUR TCASII GAVE US AN RA. THE CTLR SAID THAT THERE WAS NO PROB BECAUSE THE APCHING ACR Y WAS ALREADY DSNDING AS WELL AS WE WERE CLBING AND TURNING. WE WERE TURNED BACK TO DCA DEP CTL 125.65. DCA ASKED, 'DID WE MISS HIS CALL OR DID WE MISS HIS?' WE SAID THAT WE CALLED A COUPLE OF TIMES WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

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.