TCASII alert pilot deviation.

Attributes
ACN	288487
Time
Date	199411
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxt
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25500 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 3 controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 26
ASRS Report	288487
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	288612
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 27000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X swbound at FL260. TA issued and aircraft switched to 133.9. As I was about to call other traffic when air carrier Y at FL270 said she had TCASII alert and was activating. (However I don't know if it's up or down or why). Asked again and she said descent (from air carrier Z who is descending to FL280) I said I wouldn't do that because there's a 26 off your left side. She then said she was climbing back up. Air carrier X who I switched, activated TCASII and descended. Traffic nose to nose 400 ft 3 1/2 mi at FL260. Supplemental information from acn 288612: cruising at FL260 in vicinity of pxt had TA pop up 5 mi ahead at 12 O'clock showing 300 ft above our altitude. TA quickly turned into RA with descend annunciation. Immediately turned off autoplt and began descent. At FL255 ft got the monitor vertical speed followed by clear of conflict. I quickly but smoothly returned to FL260. We did advise controller as soon as we left FL260 and his response was do what you have to do -- and that he was not working that intruder aircraft. This was a textbook example of the value of TCASII. Count me among the believers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCASII ALERT PLTDEV.

Narrative: ACR X SWBOUND AT FL260. TA ISSUED AND ACFT SWITCHED TO 133.9. AS I WAS ABOUT TO CALL OTHER TFC WHEN ACR Y AT FL270 SAID SHE HAD TCASII ALERT AND WAS ACTIVATING. (HOWEVER I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S UP OR DOWN OR WHY). ASKED AGAIN AND SHE SAID DSCNT (FROM ACR Z WHO IS DSNDING TO FL280) I SAID I WOULDN'T DO THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A 26 OFF YOUR L SIDE. SHE THEN SAID SHE WAS CLBING BACK UP. ACR X WHO I SWITCHED, ACTIVATED TCASII AND DSNDED. TFC NOSE TO NOSE 400 FT 3 1/2 MI AT FL260. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 288612: CRUISING AT FL260 IN VICINITY OF PXT HAD TA POP UP 5 MI AHEAD AT 12 O'CLOCK SHOWING 300 FT ABOVE OUR ALT. TA QUICKLY TURNED INTO RA WITH DSND ANNUNCIATION. IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF AUTOPLT AND BEGAN DSCNT. AT FL255 FT GOT THE MONITOR VERT SPD FOLLOWED BY CLR OF CONFLICT. I QUICKLY BUT SMOOTHLY RETURNED TO FL260. WE DID ADVISE CTLR AS SOON AS WE LEFT FL260 AND HIS RESPONSE WAS DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO -- AND THAT HE WAS NOT WORKING THAT INTRUDER ACFT. THIS WAS A TEXTBOOK EXAMPLE OF THE VALUE OF TCASII. COUNT ME AMONG THE BELIEVERS.

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.