TCASII RA to climb, then to descend due to unsighted aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	282738
Time
Date	199409
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : slc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 151 flight time total : 15603 flight time type : 293
ASRS Report	282738
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were assigned heading 280 degrees by slc tower for initial climb to 8000 ft MSL. After switching to departure we were assigned heading 340 degrees climb to 12000 MSL. We heard departure talking to another aircraft about TCA intruder which was not in radio contact. The other aircraft estimated the intruder at about 12500 ft MSL. We had the 727 insight but could not find the intruder aircraft. As we rolled out on 340 degree heading at 11700 ft MSL, we had a TCASII RA climb now. Looking at the tvsi I saw 2 aircraft. One was the 727 which we had in sight and was well clear of. The other aircraft was never seen and the RA was flown to a few hundred ft above 12000 ft MSL when the RA turned to descend now. The second RA was flown back down to 12000 ft MSL where it was resolved. At no time did we have a visual on the intruder aircraft. I feel the radar controller vectored us into the fish bowl putting 3 aircraft in close proximity. This could have been avoided by letting us continue west or northwest until the non radio contact intruder was well clear. I feel departure was so eager to get a side number and altitude on the TCA intruder aircraft or they wanted it to cause a problem that they were determined to vector all 3 aircraft into the small airspace causing a problem. Their first and foremost duty should have been safety. Preventing 3 aircraft in a TCASII RA zone. Fly safe-control safe.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCASII RA TO CLB, THEN TO DSND DUE TO UNSIGHTED ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED HDG 280 DEGS BY SLC TWR FOR INITIAL CLB TO 8000 FT MSL. AFTER SWITCHING TO DEP WE WERE ASSIGNED HDG 340 DEGS CLB TO 12000 MSL. WE HEARD DEP TALKING TO ANOTHER ACFT ABOUT TCA INTRUDER WHICH WAS NOT IN RADIO CONTACT. THE OTHER ACFT ESTIMATED THE INTRUDER AT ABOUT 12500 FT MSL. WE HAD THE 727 INSIGHT BUT COULD NOT FIND THE INTRUDER ACFT. AS WE ROLLED OUT ON 340 DEG HDG AT 11700 FT MSL, WE HAD A TCASII RA CLB NOW. LOOKING AT THE TVSI I SAW 2 ACFT. ONE WAS THE 727 WHICH WE HAD IN SIGHT AND WAS WELL CLR OF. THE OTHER ACFT WAS NEVER SEEN AND THE RA WAS FLOWN TO A FEW HUNDRED FT ABOVE 12000 FT MSL WHEN THE RA TURNED TO DSND NOW. THE SECOND RA WAS FLOWN BACK DOWN TO 12000 FT MSL WHERE IT WAS RESOLVED. AT NO TIME DID WE HAVE A VISUAL ON THE INTRUDER ACFT. I FEEL THE RADAR CTLR VECTORED US INTO THE FISH BOWL PUTTING 3 ACFT IN CLOSE PROX. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY LETTING US CONTINUE W OR NW UNTIL THE NON RADIO CONTACT INTRUDER WAS WELL CLR. I FEEL DEP WAS SO EAGER TO GET A SIDE NUMBER AND ALT ON THE TCA INTRUDER ACFT OR THEY WANTED IT TO CAUSE A PROB THAT THEY WERE DETERMINED TO VECTOR ALL 3 ACFT INTO THE SMALL AIRSPACE CAUSING A PROB. THEIR FIRST AND FOREMOST DUTY SHOULD HAVE BEEN SAFETY. PREVENTING 3 ACFT IN A TCASII RA ZONE. FLY SAFE-CTL SAFE.

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.