Medium large transport has TCASII RA responds. False indications.

Attributes
ACN	287101
Time
Date	199410
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ric
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	287101
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were departing richmond, va. The first officer was flying. Passing through 1000 ft the TCASII sounded, 'traffic, monitor vertical climb,' 'reduce climb rate,' 'descend.' all this in a matter of seconds. The TCASII screen indicated a target in 'red' at 1 O'clock moving across our nose at minus 3 (300 ft below) then and 3 (300 ft above) with another superimposed white target and (3400 ft above) us. We followed the RA response actions until the RA stopped. The only target then was the white and 3400 ft above off to our left. Called tower and departure -- they said no traffic observed around us. We saw no traffic either. We felt it was a false response from the TCASII. The flight attendants called up and the passenger were concerned over our maneuvering, so I made a PA announcement.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS TCASII RA RESPONDS. FALSE INDICATIONS.

Narrative: WE WERE DEPARTING RICHMOND, VA. THE FO WAS FLYING. PASSING THROUGH 1000 FT THE TCASII SOUNDED, 'TFC, MONITOR VERT CLB,' 'REDUCE CLB RATE,' 'DSND.' ALL THIS IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. THE TCASII SCREEN INDICATED A TARGET IN 'RED' AT 1 O'CLOCK MOVING ACROSS OUR NOSE AT MINUS 3 (300 FT BELOW) THEN AND 3 (300 FT ABOVE) WITH ANOTHER SUPERIMPOSED WHITE TARGET AND (3400 FT ABOVE) US. WE FOLLOWED THE RA RESPONSE ACTIONS UNTIL THE RA STOPPED. THE ONLY TARGET THEN WAS THE WHITE AND 3400 FT ABOVE OFF TO OUR L. CALLED TWR AND DEP -- THEY SAID NO TFC OBSERVED AROUND US. WE SAW NO TFC EITHER. WE FELT IT WAS A FALSE RESPONSE FROM THE TCASII. THE FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED UP AND THE PAX WERE CONCERNED OVER OUR MANEUVERING, SO I MADE A PA ANNOUNCEMENT.

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.