Commuter has TCASII TA, RA, responds with climb.

Attributes
ACN	259121
Time
Date	199312
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vwv airport : tol
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : tol
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4700 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	259121
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 63000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

At 5000 ft on a 360 degree heading, we received an ATC TA for aircraft B which we did not have initially, but did get shortly after (about 5 seconds). Over the next 30 seconds or so the frequency was congested so we could not let ATC know we had aircraft B visually, or query them about the other traffic on TCASII (aircraft a) in order that we might receive a heading change or other clearance. ATC never issued the VFR traffic (aircraft a) so we didn't know if aircraft a was in radio or radar contact with toledo departure or just flying around (unmonitored). The TCASII issued a TA for aircraft a then an RA 'monitor vertical speed' i.e., do not descend then 'climb, climb' we climbed as instructed, while maintaining visual with aircraft B once we got aircraft a in sight. We initiated a return to 5000 ft, at which time we were issued another TA and RA 'descend, descend' for aircraft B which we still had in sight (and complied with RA). The TCASII event happened over a 30-45 second time frame. ATC told us 'maintain 5000 ft' after which time, when frequency congestion allowed, we told ATC what happened. ATC responded 'ok, you scared me...sorry ma'm we had a TCASII RA, we have the 6000 ft traffic in sight.' the flight progressed normally from there.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER HAS TCASII TA, RA, RESPONDS WITH CLB.

Narrative: AT 5000 FT ON A 360 DEG HDG, WE RECEIVED AN ATC TA FOR ACFT B WHICH WE DID NOT HAVE INITIALLY, BUT DID GET SHORTLY AFTER (ABOUT 5 SECONDS). OVER THE NEXT 30 SECONDS OR SO THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED SO WE COULD NOT LET ATC KNOW WE HAD ACFT B VISUALLY, OR QUERY THEM ABOUT THE OTHER TFC ON TCASII (ACFT A) IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE A HDG CHANGE OR OTHER CLRNC. ATC NEVER ISSUED THE VFR TFC (ACFT A) SO WE DIDN'T KNOW IF ACFT A WAS IN RADIO OR RADAR CONTACT WITH TOLEDO DEP OR JUST FLYING AROUND (UNMONITORED). THE TCASII ISSUED A TA FOR ACFT A THEN AN RA 'MONITOR VERT SPD' I.E., DO NOT DSND THEN 'CLB, CLB' WE CLBED AS INSTRUCTED, WHILE MAINTAINING VISUAL WITH ACFT B ONCE WE GOT ACFT A IN SIGHT. WE INITIATED A RETURN TO 5000 FT, AT WHICH TIME WE WERE ISSUED ANOTHER TA AND RA 'DSND, DSND' FOR ACFT B WHICH WE STILL HAD IN SIGHT (AND COMPLIED WITH RA). THE TCASII EVENT HAPPENED OVER A 30-45 SECOND TIME FRAME. ATC TOLD US 'MAINTAIN 5000 FT' AFTER WHICH TIME, WHEN FREQ CONGESTION ALLOWED, WE TOLD ATC WHAT HAPPENED. ATC RESPONDED 'OK, YOU SCARED ME...SORRY MA'M WE HAD A TCASII RA, WE HAVE THE 6000 FT TFC IN SIGHT.' THE FLT PROGRESSED NORMALLY FROM THERE.

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.