Air carrier at cruise has TCASII RA. ATC no indication. Possible false TCASII.

Attributes
ACN	291528
Time
Date	199412
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 39000 msl bound upper : 39800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : atl tower : eug
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	291528
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation 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	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In cruise at FL390 got a TA on TCASII of traffic at our 1 O'clock position at 38900 ft. Then got a TCASII climb command. We followed command and climbed to 39800 ft and advised ATC. Center advised that we had 410 traffic at 1 O'clock, also, 38900 ft traffic continued to show on TCASII. Approximately 5 mi in front of the 410 traffic we were also painting. We descended back to FL390 as traffic cleared to our 7 O'clock position. The traffic then went off our scope at 7 O'clock. ATC center was not working and did not show the traffic that gave us the RA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR AT CRUISE HAS TCASII RA. ATC NO INDICATION. POSSIBLE FALSE TCASII.

Narrative: IN CRUISE AT FL390 GOT A TA ON TCASII OF TFC AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS AT 38900 FT. THEN GOT A TCASII CLB COMMAND. WE FOLLOWED COMMAND AND CLBED TO 39800 FT AND ADVISED ATC. CTR ADVISED THAT WE HAD 410 TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK, ALSO, 38900 FT TFC CONTINUED TO SHOW ON TCASII. APPROX 5 MI IN FRONT OF THE 410 TFC WE WERE ALSO PAINTING. WE DSNDED BACK TO FL390 AS TFC CLRED TO OUR 7 O'CLOCK POS. THE TFC THEN WENT OFF OUR SCOPE AT 7 O'CLOCK. ATC CTR WAS NOT WORKING AND DID NOT SHOW THE TFC THAT GAVE US THE RA.

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.