TCASII false warning.

Attributes
ACN	283714
Time
Date	199409
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : gsp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A310
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	283714
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While being vectored for a VOR approach to runway 13R at jfk under the control of ny approach control, we were cleared from 5000- 4000 ft. Upon reaching 4500 ft, we were told to climb back to 5000 ft and turn to a heading of 270 degrees. Simultaneously with that ATC directive. TCASII produced a RA for traffic at 4000 ft and commanded a minimum descent rate of 1700 FPM. IMC conditions existed at the time but the first officer had the luxury of briefly seeing an air carrier A-310 directly below us. I disconnected the autoplt to comply with the westerly turn and ATC directed climb back to 5000 ft. Had we complied with the TCASII command, the first officer believes that we would have been placed into the path of the A-310. I called the ny TRACON facility to ascertain why the 2 aircraft had come so close. The supervisor told me that it was deemed an ATC operational error and the tapes were pulled for investigation purposes. I find the erroneous TCASII commanded descent to be quite upsetting under those circumstances since the outcome could have been tragic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCASII FALSE WARNING.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR A VOR APCH TO RWY 13R AT JFK UNDER THE CTL OF NY APCH CTL, WE WERE CLRED FROM 5000- 4000 FT. UPON REACHING 4500 FT, WE WERE TOLD TO CLB BACK TO 5000 FT AND TURN TO A HDG OF 270 DEGS. SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THAT ATC DIRECTIVE. TCASII PRODUCED A RA FOR TFC AT 4000 FT AND COMMANDED A MINIMUM DSCNT RATE OF 1700 FPM. IMC CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME BUT THE FO HAD THE LUXURY OF BRIEFLY SEEING AN ACR A-310 DIRECTLY BELOW US. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT TO COMPLY WITH THE WESTERLY TURN AND ATC DIRECTED CLB BACK TO 5000 FT. HAD WE COMPLIED WITH THE TCASII COMMAND, THE FO BELIEVES THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED INTO THE PATH OF THE A-310. I CALLED THE NY TRACON FACILITY TO ASCERTAIN WHY THE 2 ACFT HAD COME SO CLOSE. THE SUPVR TOLD ME THAT IT WAS DEEMED AN ATC OPERATIONAL ERROR AND THE TAPES WERE PULLED FOR INVESTIGATION PURPOSES. I FIND THE ERRONEOUS TCASII COMMANDED DSCNT TO BE QUITE UPSETTING UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES SINCE THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC.

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.