TCASII RA. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	278347
Time
Date	199407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pmm
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 24900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	278347
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 900
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While climbing to cruise altitude, we were told to level off early at FL240. Shortly thereafter, we were given a heading change from 360 degrees to 380 degrees. Once on the new heading we were told to turn back to 360 degrees. The heading change clearance back to 360 degrees was incomplete, so I asked center for confirmation of the clearance. There was no answer. I asked again, and ATC then confirmed the heading change. While turning back to a heading of 360 degrees TCASII gave us a climb RA, which we complied with. We notified ATC of our maneuver and stopped our climb at 24,900 ft MSL when a clear of conflict was issued. We returned to FL240 and a heading of 360 degrees. Center seemed to be very busy at the time and had changed the altitude we'd been cleared to in the climb a number of times, prior to the RA. It seemed like the airspace over the great lakes becomes saturated with airplanes a lot. These controllers are working very hard to do a great job. There are just too many airplanes at times, that's all.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCASII RA.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING TO CRUISE ALT, WE WERE TOLD TO LEVEL OFF EARLY AT FL240. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE WERE GIVEN A HDG CHANGE FROM 360 DEGS TO 380 DEGS. ONCE ON THE NEW HDG WE WERE TOLD TO TURN BACK TO 360 DEGS. THE HDG CHANGE CLRNC BACK TO 360 DEGS WAS INCOMPLETE, SO I ASKED CTR FOR CONFIRMATION OF THE CLRNC. THERE WAS NO ANSWER. I ASKED AGAIN, AND ATC THEN CONFIRMED THE HDG CHANGE. WHILE TURNING BACK TO A HDG OF 360 DEGS TCASII GAVE US A CLB RA, WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH. WE NOTIFIED ATC OF OUR MANEUVER AND STOPPED OUR CLB AT 24,900 FT MSL WHEN A CLR OF CONFLICT WAS ISSUED. WE RETURNED TO FL240 AND A HDG OF 360 DEGS. CTR SEEMED TO BE VERY BUSY AT THE TIME AND HAD CHANGED THE ALT WE'D BEEN CLRED TO IN THE CLB A NUMBER OF TIMES, PRIOR TO THE RA. IT SEEMED LIKE THE AIRSPACE OVER THE GREAT LAKES BECOMES SATURATED WITH AIRPLANES A LOT. THESE CTLRS ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO DO A GREAT JOB. THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY AIRPLANES AT TIMES, THAT'S ALL.

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.