A climbing large transport continued its climb in response to a TCASII command, causing less than standard separation.

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Attributes
ACN	252621
Time
Date	199309
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16400 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller non radar : 7 controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	252621
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft #1 departed from jfk climbing to 13000 ft, traffic at 14000 ft. Aircraft #1 leveled at 13000 ft. Aircraft #1 then was issued climb to 16000 ft. Issued traffic crossing at 17000 ft. Aircraft #1 receives TCASII RA to climb at the point where aircraft merged on scope. Aircraft #2 later also stated he received TCASII RA to climb but elected to maintain present altitude, due to visual contact on traffic. Mode C on aircraft #1 after passing traffic was 16300 ft, then next update 16400 ft, then leveled 16400 ft. Separation was lost, documented as pilot error. Did he break the altitude, then receive an RA? I believe so! The point from which aircraft was issued climb to 16000 ft from 13000 ft to merge with traffic was approximately 10-15 mi. What rate of climb would you use, knowing you're to stop at 16000 ft (3000 ft) with crossing traffic 10 mi away at your 2 O'clock position, converging. Based on what I know about TCASII, this incident should have never happened. This pilot had all the information and the addition of TCASII and still it happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CLBING LGT CONTINUED ITS CLB IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII COMMAND, CAUSING LTSS.

Narrative: ACFT #1 DEPARTED FROM JFK CLBING TO 13000 FT, TFC AT 14000 FT. ACFT #1 LEVELED AT 13000 FT. ACFT #1 THEN WAS ISSUED CLB TO 16000 FT. ISSUED TFC XING AT 17000 FT. ACFT #1 RECEIVES TCASII RA TO CLB AT THE POINT WHERE ACFT MERGED ON SCOPE. ACFT #2 LATER ALSO STATED HE RECEIVED TCASII RA TO CLB BUT ELECTED TO MAINTAIN PRESENT ALT, DUE TO VISUAL CONTACT ON TFC. MODE C ON ACFT #1 AFTER PASSING TFC WAS 16300 FT, THEN NEXT UPDATE 16400 FT, THEN LEVELED 16400 FT. SEPARATION WAS LOST, DOCUMENTED AS PLT ERROR. DID HE BREAK THE ALT, THEN RECEIVE AN RA? I BELIEVE SO! THE POINT FROM WHICH ACFT WAS ISSUED CLB TO 16000 FT FROM 13000 FT TO MERGE WITH TFC WAS APPROX 10-15 MI. WHAT RATE OF CLB WOULD YOU USE, KNOWING YOU'RE TO STOP AT 16000 FT (3000 FT) WITH XING TFC 10 MI AWAY AT YOUR 2 O'CLOCK POS, CONVERGING. BASED ON WHAT I KNOW ABOUT TCASII, THIS INCIDENT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. THIS PLT HAD ALL THE INFO AND THE ADDITION OF TCASII AND STILL IT HAPPENED.

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.