Narrative:

Clearance was direct jfk at FL290. Observed pop-up TCASII traffic at same altitude at approximately 15 NM, closing. (Distance was only a guess -- could be off quite a bit.) as we looked at TCASII (dedicated display shared with radar display -- center console) ATC called us to turn 20 degrees right for traffic. So I started the right turn -- on autoplt. ATC repeated call for 20 degree right turn. We simultaneously got a TCASII RA 'descend, descend.' I then clicked off the autoplt and started approximately 800 FPM descent to level at FL285. I was just starting descent when ATC called for immediate right turn to 090 degree radial (approximately 60 degrees more). This turn turned us into climbing traffic that was (I believe) leveling at FL280. We immediately got a second RA to 'climb, climb.' we climbed back up to FL290 and both conflicts were resolved. We were then cleared direct jfk. Subsequent discussion with ATC a few mins later revealed that initial conflict was caused by aircraft, cleared sbound on J79, off course. The real safety issues in my mind are: 1) responding to controller while responding to TCASII compounded the initial situation, and caused second conflict. 2) ZDC (plus most others) at night have single controllers covering too many frequencys. He can't do his/her job to the level necessary for adequate safety margin. Radio confusion compounded this problem. Supplemental information from acn 371353: after multiple vectors and clrncs, some confusion existed and we ended up flying east of course. After receiving a vector from ZDC for course correction, we received a visual on traffic both visually and on TCASII. As we received a TCASII warning we were already turning away from traffic. Also at the time of incident navaids were scalloping.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTSS OCCURRED WHEN RPTR'S ACFT RESPONDED TO A TCASII RA TO DSND AWAY FROM AN OFF COURSE ACR AT THE SAME ALT AND CONFLICTED WITH A THIRD ACFT. CTR CTLR WAS VECTORING RPTR'S ACFT AWAY FROM THE ACR PRIOR TO THE TCASII RA. PLTDEV.

Narrative: CLRNC WAS DIRECT JFK AT FL290. OBSERVED POP-UP TCASII TFC AT SAME ALT AT APPROX 15 NM, CLOSING. (DISTANCE WAS ONLY A GUESS -- COULD BE OFF QUITE A BIT.) AS WE LOOKED AT TCASII (DEDICATED DISPLAY SHARED WITH RADAR DISPLAY -- CTR CONSOLE) ATC CALLED US TO TURN 20 DEGS R FOR TFC. SO I STARTED THE R TURN -- ON AUTOPLT. ATC REPEATED CALL FOR 20 DEG R TURN. WE SIMULTANEOUSLY GOT A TCASII RA 'DSND, DSND.' I THEN CLICKED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND STARTED APPROX 800 FPM DSCNT TO LEVEL AT FL285. I WAS JUST STARTING DSCNT WHEN ATC CALLED FOR IMMEDIATE R TURN TO 090 DEG RADIAL (APPROX 60 DEGS MORE). THIS TURN TURNED US INTO CLBING TFC THAT WAS (I BELIEVE) LEVELING AT FL280. WE IMMEDIATELY GOT A SECOND RA TO 'CLB, CLB.' WE CLBED BACK UP TO FL290 AND BOTH CONFLICTS WERE RESOLVED. WE WERE THEN CLRED DIRECT JFK. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION WITH ATC A FEW MINS LATER REVEALED THAT INITIAL CONFLICT WAS CAUSED BY ACFT, CLRED SBOUND ON J79, OFF COURSE. THE REAL SAFETY ISSUES IN MY MIND ARE: 1) RESPONDING TO CTLR WHILE RESPONDING TO TCASII COMPOUNDED THE INITIAL SIT, AND CAUSED SECOND CONFLICT. 2) ZDC (PLUS MOST OTHERS) AT NIGHT HAVE SINGLE CTLRS COVERING TOO MANY FREQS. HE CAN'T DO HIS/HER JOB TO THE LEVEL NECESSARY FOR ADEQUATE SAFETY MARGIN. RADIO CONFUSION COMPOUNDED THIS PROB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 371353: AFTER MULTIPLE VECTORS AND CLRNCS, SOME CONFUSION EXISTED AND WE ENDED UP FLYING E OF COURSE. AFTER RECEIVING A VECTOR FROM ZDC FOR COURSE CORRECTION, WE RECEIVED A VISUAL ON TFC BOTH VISUALLY AND ON TCASII. AS WE RECEIVED A TCASII WARNING WE WERE ALREADY TURNING AWAY FROM TFC. ALSO AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT NAVAIDS WERE SCALLOPING.

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.