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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Flight crew of light transport has TCASII alert for traffic in the opposite direction and descending. Traffic leveled at same altitude and center controller had called traffic but flight crew unable to see it. Traffic leveled at same altitude. Controller gave a turn vector but this would place them closer to the traffic so they delayed the turn. TCASII gave an alert so a climb and turn away from traffic was made.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 382039 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199709 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gmn |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla artcc : zmp |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : unknown |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 382039 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 9000 vertical : 100 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
We were in cruise at 12000 ft on a scheduled part 121 flight from lax to bfl. We were in communication with ZLA. No clouds visible, great visibility. Our TCASII showed traffic at our 12 O'clock position, above us about 700 ft and descending. Our closure rate indicated the other aircraft was going the opposite direction. Center called this traffic, but we could not see it. This other aircraft stated he was descending for vny, about 20 mi south. As the other aircraft neared, it appeared he would pass below (approximately 500 ft) us and to our right (3-4 mi). As the other aircraft neared to approximately 5 mi, our TCASII showed he leveled out at our altitude. No arrow indicating descent displayed on the TCASII next to his aircraft. It appeared he would pass only 2-3 mi now. We still had no visual contact. At about 3 mi with the other aircraft displayed at our 1 O'clock position and at our altitude, center gave us a 15 degree turn to the right to join the arvin arrival into bfl. ATC said the aircraft was no factor. Since this vector would place us closer to the other aircraft, my first officer and I decided to delay the turn. As I keyed the microphone to respond, our TCASII unit gave a 'traffic, traffic' audio warning. We pulled up and turned away to the left. This audio warning was broadcast and heard by center. During the pull-up and subsequent return to assigned altitude, we climbed nearly 700 ft to 12700 ft. When handed off to bfl approach, he asked why we had climbed and we responded 'due to TCASII.' we never saw the other aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF LTT HAS TCASII ALERT FOR TFC IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND DSNDING. TFC LEVELED AT SAME ALT AND CTR CTLR HAD CALLED TFC BUT FLC UNABLE TO SEE IT. TFC LEVELED AT SAME ALT. CTLR GAVE A TURN VECTOR BUT THIS WOULD PLACE THEM CLOSER TO THE TFC SO THEY DELAYED THE TURN. TCASII GAVE AN ALERT SO A CLB AND TURN AWAY FROM TFC WAS MADE.
Narrative: WE WERE IN CRUISE AT 12000 FT ON A SCHEDULED PART 121 FLT FROM LAX TO BFL. WE WERE IN COM WITH ZLA. NO CLOUDS VISIBLE, GREAT VISIBILITY. OUR TCASII SHOWED TFC AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS, ABOVE US ABOUT 700 FT AND DSNDING. OUR CLOSURE RATE INDICATED THE OTHER ACFT WAS GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. CTR CALLED THIS TFC, BUT WE COULD NOT SEE IT. THIS OTHER ACFT STATED HE WAS DSNDING FOR VNY, ABOUT 20 MI S. AS THE OTHER ACFT NEARED, IT APPEARED HE WOULD PASS BELOW (APPROX 500 FT) US AND TO OUR R (3-4 MI). AS THE OTHER ACFT NEARED TO APPROX 5 MI, OUR TCASII SHOWED HE LEVELED OUT AT OUR ALT. NO ARROW INDICATING DSCNT DISPLAYED ON THE TCASII NEXT TO HIS ACFT. IT APPEARED HE WOULD PASS ONLY 2-3 MI NOW. WE STILL HAD NO VISUAL CONTACT. AT ABOUT 3 MI WITH THE OTHER ACFT DISPLAYED AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS AND AT OUR ALT, CTR GAVE US A 15 DEG TURN TO THE R TO JOIN THE ARVIN ARR INTO BFL. ATC SAID THE ACFT WAS NO FACTOR. SINCE THIS VECTOR WOULD PLACE US CLOSER TO THE OTHER ACFT, MY FO AND I DECIDED TO DELAY THE TURN. AS I KEYED THE MIKE TO RESPOND, OUR TCASII UNIT GAVE A 'TFC, TFC' AUDIO WARNING. WE PULLED UP AND TURNED AWAY TO THE L. THIS AUDIO WARNING WAS BROADCAST AND HEARD BY CTR. DURING THE PULL-UP AND SUBSEQUENT RETURN TO ASSIGNED ALT, WE CLBED NEARLY 700 FT TO 12700 FT. WHEN HANDED OFF TO BFL APCH, HE ASKED WHY WE HAD CLBED AND WE RESPONDED 'DUE TO TCASII.' WE NEVER SAW THE OTHER ACFT.
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.