Potential conflict resolved by TCASII RA crossing climbing traffic situation.

Attributes
ACN	261116
Time
Date	199401
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16500 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zoa
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 3300
ASRS Report	261116
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	261061
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On climb out of ksjc, cleared direct to sac and passing FL170 (approximately), TCASII issued a TA. As PF, I observed target on navigation display at about 1 O'clock and plus 500 ft amber. Looked outside the aircraft and determined to be IMC. At that time TCASII issued a RA. I discontinued autoplt and performed procedure as per cockpit operating manual. This called for a 1500 FPM descent after attempting to clear airspace below. After receiving 'clear of traffic', I returned aircraft to climb to conform with existing ATC clearance. Brief discussion with ATC indicated (by air traffic controller working frequency) that separation was legal. Supplemental information from acn 261061: climbing through approximately 17000 ft for our second altitude of FL190. Find it surprising that we would get an RA with legal separation. Hooray for TCASII! Nice to know our modern technology works!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT RESOLVED BY TCASII RA XING CLBING TFC SIT.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OF KSJC, CLRED DIRECT TO SAC AND PASSING FL170 (APPROX), TCASII ISSUED A TA. AS PF, I OBSERVED TARGET ON NAV DISPLAY AT ABOUT 1 O'CLOCK AND PLUS 500 FT AMBER. LOOKED OUTSIDE THE ACFT AND DETERMINED TO BE IMC. AT THAT TIME TCASII ISSUED A RA. I DISCONTINUED AUTOPLT AND PERFORMED PROC AS PER COCKPIT OPERATING MANUAL. THIS CALLED FOR A 1500 FPM DSCNT AFTER ATTEMPTING TO CLR AIRSPACE BELOW. AFTER RECEIVING 'CLR OF TFC', I RETURNED ACFT TO CLB TO CONFORM WITH EXISTING ATC CLRNC. BRIEF DISCUSSION WITH ATC INDICATED (BY AIR TFC CTLR WORKING FREQ) THAT SEPARATION WAS LEGAL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 261061: CLBING THROUGH APPROX 17000 FT FOR OUR SECOND ALT OF FL190. FIND IT SURPRISING THAT WE WOULD GET AN RA WITH LEGAL SEPARATION. HOORAY FOR TCASII! NICE TO KNOW OUR MODERN TECHNOLOGY WORKS!

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.