Flight crew of an medium large transport stopped climbing and descended in response to a TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	316692
Time
Date	199509
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ctr
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 17700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw artcc : vhhk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute 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 : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	316692
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 1500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Climbing out of about 11000 ft. I went off radio to talk to bdl station at their request. After I went off frequency, ATC gave us a short cut direct albany VOR. Also about that time they issued VFR traffic at 17500 ft. Right after this, flight attendant came up with crew meal. A lot going on at one time so copilot did not recognize that VFR traffic could possibly be a conflict. When I came back on radio frequency we received a TA. We were climbing out of about 16000 ft. Traffic was at edge of TCASII scope and did not show altitude. Soon after we could see traffic on our scope at about 17500 ft. We immediately received an RA to descend. We complied and stopped our climb and began a descent at about 17700 ft. Because of our descent there was no conflict, and the vertical separation was at least 1500 ft. We never spotted the traffic visually. The only recommendation I would make to prevent this type of occurrence from happening again would be to have ATC, when they issue traffic that they think could be a conflict, to try to make sure the crew realizes this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG STOPPED CLBING AND DSNDED IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA.

Narrative: CLBING OUT OF ABOUT 11000 FT. I WENT OFF RADIO TO TALK TO BDL STATION AT THEIR REQUEST. AFTER I WENT OFF FREQ, ATC GAVE US A SHORT CUT DIRECT ALBANY VOR. ALSO ABOUT THAT TIME THEY ISSUED VFR TFC AT 17500 FT. RIGHT AFTER THIS, FLT ATTENDANT CAME UP WITH CREW MEAL. A LOT GOING ON AT ONE TIME SO COPLT DID NOT RECOGNIZE THAT VFR TFC COULD POSSIBLY BE A CONFLICT. WHEN I CAME BACK ON RADIO FREQ WE RECEIVED A TA. WE WERE CLBING OUT OF ABOUT 16000 FT. TFC WAS AT EDGE OF TCASII SCOPE AND DID NOT SHOW ALT. SOON AFTER WE COULD SEE TFC ON OUR SCOPE AT ABOUT 17500 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY RECEIVED AN RA TO DSND. WE COMPLIED AND STOPPED OUR CLB AND BEGAN A DSCNT AT ABOUT 17700 FT. BECAUSE OF OUR DSCNT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT, AND THE VERT SEPARATION WAS AT LEAST 1500 FT. WE NEVER SPOTTED THE TFC VISUALLY. THE ONLY RECOMMENDATION I WOULD MAKE TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE FROM HAPPENING AGAIN WOULD BE TO HAVE ATC, WHEN THEY ISSUE TFC THAT THEY THINK COULD BE A CONFLICT, TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THE CREW REALIZES THIS.

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.