Narrative:

Air carrier X holding pattern (at ryann on boids 4 arrival to dfw) and given clearance to descend to FL310 and then FL290, aircraft landed at 29000. In second time around in pattern, we received an RA from TCASII. We followed the RA to climb, and at the same time, controller gave us a right turn to heading 090 degrees (out of holding pattern) and a climb to FL310. Before we left the frequency, we heard the aircraft at FL290 ask the controller who the aircraft was at 29000 ft. The controller did not answer the question. In the previous 15 min or so, there were perhaps as many as 10-15 xmissions, which were 'stepped- on' and in general, the 'atmosphere' was chaotic. The controller seemed very rushed and stressed. Supplemental information from acn 298267: air carrier Y entered holding at ryann at FL290. We made our turn outbound and after approximately 1 1/2 min we were given 'left turn direct to bridgeport for the remainder of the boids arrival. As we approached ryann we received a TA and TCASII show a target at 11:30 O'clock at FL290. Shortly after we received a RA and visually pick up the target aircraft in a climbing right turn away from us. We had started our evasive maneuver, a right descending turn as TCASII commanded, but only descended to 28.8 and 15 degrees right when we saw that we would pass around 4 mi apart. The other aircraft looked to be a 757 or 767. The frequency was very congested and we did not get the call sign of the other aircraft. Shortly after, we were given FL280 and a frequency change. Upon arrival in dfw, I called the sector supervisor and he said they were reviewing the tapes to see just what had happened. I talked with him the next day and he confirmed it was a controller error and an investigation was in progress. I don't know what a solution to a problem like this might be short of having a backup controller monitoring the progress of all holding pattern stacks. For dfws 4 gates this could mean 4 extra controllers when holding is required. We had flown this particular trip 4 other times that month. Each time there were slow downs and at least once around the pattern. On the next frequency, still ZFW, we were spded up and there was hardly any talk on the frequency (few aircraft). The same situation happened on approach frequency and part of the time we landed on the east side of the airport (close to our gates) due to lack of traffic. This made us wonder why separation was such a big deal out at ryann? Are approach control and the last 2 center frequencys really communicating their true needs?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII RA IN HOLDING PATTERN WITH ACR Y, SAME ALT ASSIGNED. HAD LTSS. EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X HOLDING PATTERN (AT RYANN ON BOIDS 4 ARR TO DFW) AND GIVEN CLRNC TO DSND TO FL310 AND THEN FL290, ACFT LANDED AT 29000. IN SECOND TIME AROUND IN PATTERN, WE RECEIVED AN RA FROM TCASII. WE FOLLOWED THE RA TO CLB, AND AT THE SAME TIME, CTLR GAVE US A R TURN TO HDG 090 DEGS (OUT OF HOLDING PATTERN) AND A CLB TO FL310. BEFORE WE LEFT THE FREQ, WE HEARD THE ACFT AT FL290 ASK THE CTLR WHO THE ACFT WAS AT 29000 FT. THE CTLR DID NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION. IN THE PREVIOUS 15 MIN OR SO, THERE WERE PERHAPS AS MANY AS 10-15 XMISSIONS, WHICH WERE 'STEPPED- ON' AND IN GENERAL, THE 'ATMOSPHERE' WAS CHAOTIC. THE CTLR SEEMED VERY RUSHED AND STRESSED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 298267: ACR Y ENTERED HOLDING AT RYANN AT FL290. WE MADE OUR TURN OUTBOUND AND AFTER APPROX 1 1/2 MIN WE WERE GIVEN 'L TURN DIRECT TO BRIDGEPORT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE BOIDS ARR. AS WE APCHED RYANN WE RECEIVED A TA AND TCASII SHOW A TARGET AT 11:30 O'CLOCK AT FL290. SHORTLY AFTER WE RECEIVED A RA AND VISUALLY PICK UP THE TARGET ACFT IN A CLBING R TURN AWAY FROM US. WE HAD STARTED OUR EVASIVE MANEUVER, A R DSNDING TURN AS TCASII COMMANDED, BUT ONLY DSNDED TO 28.8 AND 15 DEGS R WHEN WE SAW THAT WE WOULD PASS AROUND 4 MI APART. THE OTHER ACFT LOOKED TO BE A 757 OR 767. THE FREQ WAS VERY CONGESTED AND WE DID NOT GET THE CALL SIGN OF THE OTHER ACFT. SHORTLY AFTER, WE WERE GIVEN FL280 AND A FREQ CHANGE. UPON ARR IN DFW, I CALLED THE SECTOR SUPVR AND HE SAID THEY WERE REVIEWING THE TAPES TO SEE JUST WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I TALKED WITH HIM THE NEXT DAY AND HE CONFIRMED IT WAS A CTLR ERROR AND AN INVESTIGATION WAS IN PROGRESS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT A SOLUTION TO A PROB LIKE THIS MIGHT BE SHORT OF HAVING A BACKUP CTLR MONITORING THE PROGRESS OF ALL HOLDING PATTERN STACKS. FOR DFWS 4 GATES THIS COULD MEAN 4 EXTRA CTLRS WHEN HOLDING IS REQUIRED. WE HAD FLOWN THIS PARTICULAR TRIP 4 OTHER TIMES THAT MONTH. EACH TIME THERE WERE SLOW DOWNS AND AT LEAST ONCE AROUND THE PATTERN. ON THE NEXT FREQ, STILL ZFW, WE WERE SPDED UP AND THERE WAS HARDLY ANY TALK ON THE FREQ (FEW ACFT). THE SAME SIT HAPPENED ON APCH FREQ AND PART OF THE TIME WE LANDED ON THE E SIDE OF THE ARPT (CLOSE TO OUR GATES) DUE TO LACK OF TFC. THIS MADE US WONDER WHY SEPARATION WAS SUCH A BIG DEAL OUT AT RYANN? ARE APCH CTL AND THE LAST 2 CTR FREQS REALLY COMMUNICATING THEIR TRUE NEEDS?

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.