Medium large transport takes evasive action due TCASII TA then RA.

Attributes
ACN	289201
Time
Date	199411
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sax
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 18200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny tower : ind
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	289201
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	289191
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were cruising at 17000 ft MSL. We got a TCASII TA, I was the PNF. I reached down and selected the 5 mi scale on the TCASII unit. The TA immediately changed to an RA. The RA commanded climb. I indicated to the first officer who was flying to climb as I shoved the power levers forward. We climbed to 18000 ft MSL at which time we were issued a clear of conflict by the TCASII. We returned to 17000 ft MSL. The controller said that the traffic was VFR at 16500 ft. Supplemental information from acn 289191: passing about 17500 ft in the climb I spotted the traffic at right 2-3 O'clock position, slightly lower than us about 2000 ft away. The distance and altitude were difficult to judge since I caught only a glimpse of some type of twin which I wasn't able to recognize, but it did seem to be much closer to the altitude we had vacated than I expected. The captain told ATC what we were doing during the maneuver, and we received his concurrence to descend to 17000 ft following the TCASII RA. No additional traffic conflicts were mentioned by ATC or noticed by the cockpit crew during the incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG TAKES EVASIVE ACTION DUE TCASII TA THEN RA.

Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING AT 17000 FT MSL. WE GOT A TCASII TA, I WAS THE PNF. I REACHED DOWN AND SELECTED THE 5 MI SCALE ON THE TCASII UNIT. THE TA IMMEDIATELY CHANGED TO AN RA. THE RA COMMANDED CLB. I INDICATED TO THE FO WHO WAS FLYING TO CLB AS I SHOVED THE PWR LEVERS FORWARD. WE CLBED TO 18000 FT MSL AT WHICH TIME WE WERE ISSUED A CLR OF CONFLICT BY THE TCASII. WE RETURNED TO 17000 FT MSL. THE CTLR SAID THAT THE TFC WAS VFR AT 16500 FT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 289191: PASSING ABOUT 17500 FT IN THE CLB I SPOTTED THE TFC AT R 2-3 O'CLOCK POS, SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN US ABOUT 2000 FT AWAY. THE DISTANCE AND ALT WERE DIFFICULT TO JUDGE SINCE I CAUGHT ONLY A GLIMPSE OF SOME TYPE OF TWIN WHICH I WASN'T ABLE TO RECOGNIZE, BUT IT DID SEEM TO BE MUCH CLOSER TO THE ALT WE HAD VACATED THAN I EXPECTED. THE CAPT TOLD ATC WHAT WE WERE DOING DURING THE MANEUVER, AND WE RECEIVED HIS CONCURRENCE TO DSND TO 17000 FT FOLLOWING THE TCASII RA. NO ADDITIONAL TFC CONFLICTS WERE MENTIONED BY ATC OR NOTICED BY THE COCKPIT CREW DURING THE INCIDENT.

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.