Narrative:

Our bendix/king tcasi installed in a citation V ultra began to display targets on erroneous bearings, ie, aircraft ahead would show on left side, aircraft on left would show on right. Sometimes aircraft would not show at all. After several flts to confirm problems using visual contact and ATC help we reported the problem to cessna and received a loaner processor unit. That corrected the problem. Throughout all the flts that we had erroneous indications the system tested 'ok.' having targets displayed erroneously is very distracting and is therefore a worse hazard than not having TCAS. I believe that the system logic should detect such breakdowns and display 'fail' when it isn't working correctly. I also suggest you alert commuters since they are installing tcasi under FAA mandates, I have written a scr (service condition report) to cessna and an mob to nbaa, but it will take time for that to work. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this aircraft is a new cessna citation V ultra with a bendix/king avionics suite. The tcasi system installed at the factory was one of the several problem areas that cessna and its suppliers corrected after the aircraft was delivered. The reporter spoke highly of the support the manufacturer provided. The replacement processor has now become the operator's primary since cessna has now told them to keep it. Bendix/king also contacted the operator on a follow-up check on the processor and also offered some other assistance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB -- CPR'S TCASI DISPLAY FAULTY. DISPLAYS TFC ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ACFT.

Narrative: OUR BENDIX/KING TCASI INSTALLED IN A CITATION V ULTRA BEGAN TO DISPLAY TARGETS ON ERRONEOUS BEARINGS, IE, ACFT AHEAD WOULD SHOW ON L SIDE, ACFT ON L WOULD SHOW ON R. SOMETIMES ACFT WOULD NOT SHOW AT ALL. AFTER SEVERAL FLTS TO CONFIRM PROBS USING VISUAL CONTACT AND ATC HELP WE RPTED THE PROB TO CESSNA AND RECEIVED A LOANER PROCESSOR UNIT. THAT CORRECTED THE PROB. THROUGHOUT ALL THE FLTS THAT WE HAD ERRONEOUS INDICATIONS THE SYS TESTED 'OK.' HAVING TARGETS DISPLAYED ERRONEOUSLY IS VERY DISTRACTING AND IS THEREFORE A WORSE HAZARD THAN NOT HAVING TCAS. I BELIEVE THAT THE SYS LOGIC SHOULD DETECT SUCH BREAKDOWNS AND DISPLAY 'FAIL' WHEN IT ISN'T WORKING CORRECTLY. I ALSO SUGGEST YOU ALERT COMMUTERS SINCE THEY ARE INSTALLING TCASI UNDER FAA MANDATES, I HAVE WRITTEN A SCR (SVC CONDITION RPT) TO CESSNA AND AN MOB TO NBAA, BUT IT WILL TAKE TIME FOR THAT TO WORK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS ACFT IS A NEW CESSNA CITATION V ULTRA WITH A BENDIX/KING AVIONICS SUITE. THE TCASI SYS INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY WAS ONE OF THE SEVERAL PROB AREAS THAT CESSNA AND ITS SUPPLIERS CORRECTED AFTER THE ACFT WAS DELIVERED. THE RPTR SPOKE HIGHLY OF THE SUPPORT THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED. THE REPLACEMENT PROCESSOR HAS NOW BECOME THE OPERATOR'S PRIMARY SINCE CESSNA HAS NOW TOLD THEM TO KEEP IT. BENDIX/KING ALSO CONTACTED THE OPERATOR ON A FOLLOW-UP CHK ON THE PROCESSOR AND ALSO OFFERED SOME OTHER ASSISTANCE.

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.