Flight crew in MD88 received a TCASII RA directly over dca airport.

Attributes
ACN	415549
Time
Date	199809
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	415549
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

We were vectored on sep/xa/98 over dca airport to be sequenced for a river approach to runway 18 at dca. ATC was very busy and had not only switched controllers on the same frequency, but had us change to another controller on another frequency. We had overheaded the dca airport at 3000 ft and 170 KTS on vectors when we encountered a TCASII RA visual and aural. We complied with the RA procedure and only had to descend 200 ft from our 3000 ft assigned altitude to comply with the RA. We notified ATC of the traffic over dca airport and indicated that it was not indicated to us. We also indicated to ATC that we had to execute an RA procedure because of our TCASII RA alert. ATC was sorry that the traffic was not indicated to us. It was a very busy night for ATC. We were at many times unable to make contact on the first 4 calls to ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC IN MD88 RECEIVED A TCASII RA DIRECTLY OVER DCA ARPT.

Narrative: WE WERE VECTORED ON SEP/XA/98 OVER DCA ARPT TO BE SEQUENCED FOR A RIVER APCH TO RWY 18 AT DCA. ATC WAS VERY BUSY AND HAD NOT ONLY SWITCHED CTLRS ON THE SAME FREQ, BUT HAD US CHANGE TO ANOTHER CTLR ON ANOTHER FREQ. WE HAD OVERHEADED THE DCA ARPT AT 3000 FT AND 170 KTS ON VECTORS WHEN WE ENCOUNTERED A TCASII RA VISUAL AND AURAL. WE COMPLIED WITH THE RA PROC AND ONLY HAD TO DSND 200 FT FROM OUR 3000 FT ASSIGNED ALT TO COMPLY WITH THE RA. WE NOTIFIED ATC OF THE TFC OVER DCA ARPT AND INDICATED THAT IT WAS NOT INDICATED TO US. WE ALSO INDICATED TO ATC THAT WE HAD TO EXECUTE AN RA PROC BECAUSE OF OUR TCASII RA ALERT. ATC WAS SORRY THAT THE TFC WAS NOT INDICATED TO US. IT WAS A VERY BUSY NIGHT FOR ATC. WE WERE AT MANY TIMES UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT ON THE FIRST 4 CALLS TO ATC.

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.