 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An ARTCC controller reports that an air carrier B727 flight crew reacted to an RA by descending toward lower traffic. After their initial reaction, the flight crew saw the opposite direction traffic and climbed back to its original altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 381587 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199710 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sbi |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 9600 msl bound upper : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu tracon : csg |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 6 controller non radar : 10 controller radar : 17 |
| ASRS Report | 381587 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 3000 vertical : 200 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
An air carrier was level at 10000 ft MSL, wbound, on sbi 5 STAR to iah. An unknown and uncontrolled target, presumably VFR, was approaching, opposite direction, level at 9600 ft MSL (mode C unverified). A TA was issued to the air carrier, and acknowledged by same. Shortly thereafter, the air carrier advised that he was responding to a TCASII RA. I subsequently noticed that the air carrier was at 9800 ft MSL and descending toward the unknown target. I questioned the air carrier's maneuver and he advised that he had the other aircraft in sight and was returning to 10000 ft MSL. I asked the pilot of the air carrier if he had received a descent RA. He responded yes (and he sounded confused). I suggested that he report the incident. In my opinion and from my vantage point, instead of the TCASII equipment helping the air carrier avoid a collision, the reverse happened and the equipment actually placed these aircraft into a precarious position.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ARTCC CTLR RPTS THAT AN ACR B727 FLC REACTED TO AN RA BY DSNDING TOWARD LOWER TFC. AFTER THEIR INITIAL REACTION, THE FLC SAW THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC AND CLBED BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL ALT.
Narrative: AN ACR WAS LEVEL AT 10000 FT MSL, WBOUND, ON SBI 5 STAR TO IAH. AN UNKNOWN AND UNCTLED TARGET, PRESUMABLY VFR, WAS APCHING, OPPOSITE DIRECTION, LEVEL AT 9600 FT MSL (MODE C UNVERIFIED). A TA WAS ISSUED TO THE ACR, AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY SAME. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ACR ADVISED THAT HE WAS RESPONDING TO A TCASII RA. I SUBSEQUENTLY NOTICED THAT THE ACR WAS AT 9800 FT MSL AND DSNDING TOWARD THE UNKNOWN TARGET. I QUESTIONED THE ACR'S MANEUVER AND HE ADVISED THAT HE HAD THE OTHER ACFT IN SIGHT AND WAS RETURNING TO 10000 FT MSL. I ASKED THE PLT OF THE ACR IF HE HAD RECEIVED A DSCNT RA. HE RESPONDED YES (AND HE SOUNDED CONFUSED). I SUGGESTED THAT HE RPT THE INCIDENT. IN MY OPINION AND FROM MY VANTAGE POINT, INSTEAD OF THE TCASII EQUIP HELPING THE ACR AVOID A COLLISION, THE REVERSE HAPPENED AND THE EQUIP ACTUALLY PLACED THESE ACFT INTO A PRECARIOUS POS.
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.