Narrative:

Air carrier X was assigned holding at chest intersection (059/29 buj VOR) at 19000 ft. Entered the holding pattern at 19000 ft and turned outbound. During the subsequent inbound leg we got a TCASII aural traffic warning followed shortly by a TCASII climb command. The autoplt was disengaged and a 2000-3000 FPM climb was commenced. I recall seeing an amber solid circle on the TCASII display in the 10-12 O'clock position from our aircraft. Passing 21500 ft I saw another B727 at our 12 O'clock position 600-800 ft below us and 1/2 to 1 mi away moving from our left to right. Passing 22000 ft TCASII sounded 'monitor vertical speed' and we leveled around 22500 ft. As we started back down to 19000 ft we called ATC and informed the controller what had happened. She asked our altitude which was approaching 21000 ft and said to level off. At this time radio confusion occurred due to the controller asking why we climbed and other aircraft trying to explain climb commanded TCASII warnings. After several xmissions we returned to 19000 ft and continued holding. We were at 19000 ft, the other aircraft turned out to be at 21000 ft. I do not know what triggered the TCASII commanded climb that caused us to fly through his altitude. This matter is under FAA and company investigation. Due to in and out of clouds conditions we did not see the other aircraft before the climb, but this confirms the look-outside doctrine and don't always trust TCASII to avoid traffic. Supplemental information from acn 314914: holding at chest at FL190 turning inbound (left turn) received a TCASII TA. Switched radar/TCASII scale down to 5 NM and had traffic approximately 60 degrees left at 5 NM and closing. Shortly thereafter received a RA of climb. At that time executed RA and picked up traffic visually. Made call to ATC that we were passing 21500 ft due to a TCASII TA. At approximately FL220 started a slow descent to FL190 and asking ATC if that is where they wanted us. Numerous radio xmissions concerning what had gone on and to report the situation was later followed by instruction to contact the area manager. After arrival did so and he informed me that since it was a TCASII incident and not a pilot deviation there would be no further need of information or discussion. Supplemental information from acn 314539: center had issued holding instructions at 'chest' and cleared us to descend to FL210. We had just entered holding and were on first outbound leg. We had leveled at FL210 and were starting a left turn inbound. TCASII initiated a 'TA' followed immediately a 'RA' 'traffic, traffic' 'descend, descend,' 'monitor vertical speed' and 'clear of traffic' the first officer (PF) saw the aircraft right after the 'TA' at 1:30 - 2 O'clock in an apparent level turn (left) at 3 mi. TCASII showed plus 100 and then a climb on target aircraft. We stayed at FL210 since target was climbing, which was confirmed by target's crew. Center gave us urgent turn left to 270 degrees at about time of 'RA.' we complied. Center confirmed target had been assigned FL190 and had climbed through our altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII RA HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y TCASII RA. TCASII INDUCED LTSS.

Narrative: ACR X WAS ASSIGNED HOLDING AT CHEST INTXN (059/29 BUJ VOR) AT 19000 FT. ENTERED THE HOLDING PATTERN AT 19000 FT AND TURNED OUTBOUND. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT INBOUND LEG WE GOT A TCASII AURAL TFC WARNING FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY A TCASII CLB COMMAND. THE AUTOPLT WAS DISENGAGED AND A 2000-3000 FPM CLB WAS COMMENCED. I RECALL SEEING AN AMBER SOLID CIRCLE ON THE TCASII DISPLAY IN THE 10-12 O'CLOCK POS FROM OUR ACFT. PASSING 21500 FT I SAW ANOTHER B727 AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS 600-800 FT BELOW US AND 1/2 TO 1 MI AWAY MOVING FROM OUR L TO R. PASSING 22000 FT TCASII SOUNDED 'MONITOR VERT SPD' AND WE LEVELED AROUND 22500 FT. AS WE STARTED BACK DOWN TO 19000 FT WE CALLED ATC AND INFORMED THE CTLR WHAT HAD HAPPENED. SHE ASKED OUR ALT WHICH WAS APCHING 21000 FT AND SAID TO LEVEL OFF. AT THIS TIME RADIO CONFUSION OCCURRED DUE TO THE CTLR ASKING WHY WE CLBED AND OTHER ACFT TRYING TO EXPLAIN CLB COMMANDED TCASII WARNINGS. AFTER SEVERAL XMISSIONS WE RETURNED TO 19000 FT AND CONTINUED HOLDING. WE WERE AT 19000 FT, THE OTHER ACFT TURNED OUT TO BE AT 21000 FT. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TRIGGERED THE TCASII COMMANDED CLB THAT CAUSED US TO FLY THROUGH HIS ALT. THIS MATTER IS UNDER FAA AND COMPANY INVESTIGATION. DUE TO IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS CONDITIONS WE DID NOT SEE THE OTHER ACFT BEFORE THE CLB, BUT THIS CONFIRMS THE LOOK-OUTSIDE DOCTRINE AND DON'T ALWAYS TRUST TCASII TO AVOID TFC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 314914: HOLDING AT CHEST AT FL190 TURNING INBOUND (L TURN) RECEIVED A TCASII TA. SWITCHED RADAR/TCASII SCALE DOWN TO 5 NM AND HAD TFC APPROX 60 DEGS L AT 5 NM AND CLOSING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER RECEIVED A RA OF CLB. AT THAT TIME EXECUTED RA AND PICKED UP TFC VISUALLY. MADE CALL TO ATC THAT WE WERE PASSING 21500 FT DUE TO A TCASII TA. AT APPROX FL220 STARTED A SLOW DSCNT TO FL190 AND ASKING ATC IF THAT IS WHERE THEY WANTED US. NUMEROUS RADIO XMISSIONS CONCERNING WHAT HAD GONE ON AND TO RPT THE SIT WAS LATER FOLLOWED BY INSTRUCTION TO CONTACT THE AREA MGR. AFTER ARR DID SO AND HE INFORMED ME THAT SINCE IT WAS A TCASII INCIDENT AND NOT A PLT DEV THERE WOULD BE NO FURTHER NEED OF INFO OR DISCUSSION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 314539: CTR HAD ISSUED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AT 'CHEST' AND CLRED US TO DSND TO FL210. WE HAD JUST ENTERED HOLDING AND WERE ON FIRST OUTBOUND LEG. WE HAD LEVELED AT FL210 AND WERE STARTING A L TURN INBOUND. TCASII INITIATED A 'TA' FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY A 'RA' 'TFC, TFC' 'DSND, DSND,' 'MONITOR VERT SPD' AND 'CLR OF TFC' THE FO (PF) SAW THE ACFT RIGHT AFTER THE 'TA' AT 1:30 - 2 O'CLOCK IN AN APPARENT LEVEL TURN (L) AT 3 MI. TCASII SHOWED PLUS 100 AND THEN A CLB ON TARGET ACFT. WE STAYED AT FL210 SINCE TARGET WAS CLBING, WHICH WAS CONFIRMED BY TARGET'S CREW. CTR GAVE US URGENT TURN L TO 270 DEGS AT ABOUT TIME OF 'RA.' WE COMPLIED. CTR CONFIRMED TARGET HAD BEEN ASSIGNED FL190 AND HAD CLBED THROUGH OUR ALT.

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.