Flight crew of mdt descended from assigned altitude in response to a TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	277355
Time
Date	199407
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sie
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16500 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	277355
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our aircraft was advised by ZNY of a 'king air' target, VFR, at 17500 ft, 1 O'clock 10 mi heading east.' 'this target may reverse heading.' I asked ny to keep us advised, as we proceeded north, the target reversed heading and 'aimed' directly at our aircraft. I asked for a 10 degree heading change to clear from the king air. As the target approached, our onboard TCASII functioned properly first advising us of the traffic and then issuing evasive commands 'descend, descend.' the crew followed the commands and in the process descended from 17000-16550 ft. As captain, I asked for the call sign of the king air and was told that the 'king air had been operating on this airway for 2 months and was doing TCASII evolutions. In my opinion, the king air intentionally 'engaged' our aircraft, a scheduled air carrier with the intention of forcing a TCASII RA. This was a potentially dangerous situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MDT DSNDED FROM ASSIGNED ALT IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS ADVISED BY ZNY OF A 'KING AIR' TARGET, VFR, AT 17500 FT, 1 O'CLOCK 10 MI HDG E.' 'THIS TARGET MAY REVERSE HDG.' I ASKED NY TO KEEP US ADVISED, AS WE PROCEEDED N, THE TARGET REVERSED HDG AND 'AIMED' DIRECTLY AT OUR ACFT. I ASKED FOR A 10 DEG HDG CHANGE TO CLR FROM THE KING AIR. AS THE TARGET APCHED, OUR ONBOARD TCASII FUNCTIONED PROPERLY FIRST ADVISING US OF THE TFC AND THEN ISSUING EVASIVE COMMANDS 'DSND, DSND.' THE CREW FOLLOWED THE COMMANDS AND IN THE PROCESS DSNDED FROM 17000-16550 FT. AS CAPT, I ASKED FOR THE CALL SIGN OF THE KING AIR AND WAS TOLD THAT THE 'KING AIR HAD BEEN OPERATING ON THIS AIRWAY FOR 2 MONTHS AND WAS DOING TCASII EVOLUTIONS. IN MY OPINION, THE KING AIR INTENTIONALLY 'ENGAGED' OUR ACFT, A SCHEDULED ACR WITH THE INTENTION OF FORCING A TCASII RA. THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT.

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.