TCASII RA causes large transport to climb 200 ft above assigned altitude.

Attributes
ACN	259770
Time
Date	199312
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4200
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca tower : syr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	259770
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Dca approach control kept us at 10000 ft less than 20 south mt vernon visual 36. Approach said descend to 4000 ft report field in sight. Saw field and advised we were too high. Approach said turn left heading 220 degrees. When outbound and leveling at 4000 ft we received TCASII TA then climb RA and saw an air carrier jet 10-9 O'clock on final, northbound. RA terminated almost immediately at an estimated altitude of 4200 ft. Contributing factors: approach controller seemed competent but busy to the point of overload. Our speed was low due to early confign to help get down. Our low speed reduced separation of following aircraft. Our low speed caused small radius of turn. Strong west wind aloft contributed to small radius of turn plus our outbound track was left of assigned 220 degree heading. Following aircraft on the mt vernon visual would be west of centerline following the river. Corrective actions: controller was overloaded, though the frequency we were on didn't seem saturated. At least twice he said to no one in particular, 'don't key your mikes, I'll call you.' maybe he was working at least 1 other frequency. Earlier descent clearance would have avoided this occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCASII RA CAUSES LGT TO CLB 200 FT ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: DCA APCH CTL KEPT US AT 10000 FT LESS THAN 20 S MT VERNON VISUAL 36. APCH SAID DSND TO 4000 FT RPT FIELD IN SIGHT. SAW FIELD AND ADVISED WE WERE TOO HIGH. APCH SAID TURN L HDG 220 DEGS. WHEN OUTBOUND AND LEVELING AT 4000 FT WE RECEIVED TCASII TA THEN CLB RA AND SAW AN ACR JET 10-9 O'CLOCK ON FINAL, NBOUND. RA TERMINATED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AT AN ESTIMATED ALT OF 4200 FT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: APCH CTLR SEEMED COMPETENT BUT BUSY TO THE POINT OF OVERLOAD. OUR SPD WAS LOW DUE TO EARLY CONFIGN TO HELP GET DOWN. OUR LOW SPD REDUCED SEPARATION OF FOLLOWING ACFT. OUR LOW SPD CAUSED SMALL RADIUS OF TURN. STRONG W WIND ALOFT CONTRIBUTED TO SMALL RADIUS OF TURN PLUS OUR OUTBOUND TRACK WAS L OF ASSIGNED 220 DEG HDG. FOLLOWING ACFT ON THE MT VERNON VISUAL WOULD BE W OF CTRLINE FOLLOWING THE RIVER. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: CTLR WAS OVERLOADED, THOUGH THE FREQ WE WERE ON DIDN'T SEEM SATURATED. AT LEAST TWICE HE SAID TO NO ONE IN PARTICULAR, 'DON'T KEY YOUR MIKES, I'LL CALL YOU.' MAYBE HE WAS WORKING AT LEAST 1 OTHER FREQ. EARLIER DSCNT CLRNC WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS OCCURRENCE.

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.