Narrative:

I was the captain of air carrier flight XXX from atl to iah on nov/sun/98. The flight was normal up to our handoff to houston TRACON. I was the PF. We were conducting the ILS to runway 26. We were at 3000 ft MSL, autoplt engaged, on localizer, on GS at 180 KIAS. We were IMC with visibility nil. At 3000 ft, we received a TCASII RA, 'climb, climb, climb.' I immediately disconnected the autoplt and followed the commanded guidance on the TA/vsi. The first officer called 'missed approach' and told iah tower that a RA had taken place. The houston tower controller then said, 'air carrier, you are aware that we conduct parallel approachs here, aren't you?' we were then given a right turn to 360 degrees and climb to 4000 ft. At that time we were climbing through 4000 ft. We peaked out at 4500 ft and descended back down. When I checked in with approach control, he said, 'air carrier, you are aware that we conduct parallel approachs here, aren't you?' I told him I did not wish to discuss this further in the air. Here are the facts: 1) we were IMC conducting an instrument approach, 2) we received no TA from ATC, 3) we received no 'traffic alert' on the TCASII, 4) our in-flight visibility was nil. The safest, most prudent decision was to follow the RA guidance. I felt like I was in an 'in extremis' situation. I am very uncomfortable by the attempt of 2 separate ATC controllers to trivialize my decision. In fact, the approach controller said, 'this happens all the time.' these attitudes are unacceptable and pose potential safety concerns. I made a full report to the company. The ATC liaison representative is investigating the matter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 CREW HAD A TCASII RA WHILE ON FINAL AT IAH.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT OF ACR FLT XXX FROM ATL TO IAH ON NOV/SUN/98. THE FLT WAS NORMAL UP TO OUR HDOF TO HOUSTON TRACON. I WAS THE PF. WE WERE CONDUCTING THE ILS TO RWY 26. WE WERE AT 3000 FT MSL, AUTOPLT ENGAGED, ON LOC, ON GS AT 180 KIAS. WE WERE IMC WITH VISIBILITY NIL. AT 3000 FT, WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA, 'CLB, CLB, CLB.' I IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND FOLLOWED THE COMMANDED GUIDANCE ON THE TA/VSI. THE FO CALLED 'MISSED APCH' AND TOLD IAH TWR THAT A RA HAD TAKEN PLACE. THE HOUSTON TWR CTLR THEN SAID, 'ACR, YOU ARE AWARE THAT WE CONDUCT PARALLEL APCHS HERE, AREN'T YOU?' WE WERE THEN GIVEN A R TURN TO 360 DEGS AND CLB TO 4000 FT. AT THAT TIME WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 4000 FT. WE PEAKED OUT AT 4500 FT AND DSNDED BACK DOWN. WHEN I CHKED IN WITH APCH CTL, HE SAID, 'ACR, YOU ARE AWARE THAT WE CONDUCT PARALLEL APCHS HERE, AREN'T YOU?' I TOLD HIM I DID NOT WISH TO DISCUSS THIS FURTHER IN THE AIR. HERE ARE THE FACTS: 1) WE WERE IMC CONDUCTING AN INST APCH, 2) WE RECEIVED NO TA FROM ATC, 3) WE RECEIVED NO 'TFC ALERT' ON THE TCASII, 4) OUR INFLT VISIBILITY WAS NIL. THE SAFEST, MOST PRUDENT DECISION WAS TO FOLLOW THE RA GUIDANCE. I FELT LIKE I WAS IN AN 'IN EXTREMIS' SIT. I AM VERY UNCOMFORTABLE BY THE ATTEMPT OF 2 SEPARATE ATC CTLRS TO TRIVIALIZE MY DECISION. IN FACT, THE APCH CTLR SAID, 'THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.' THESE ATTITUDES ARE UNACCEPTABLE AND POSE POTENTIAL SAFETY CONCERNS. I MADE A FULL RPT TO THE COMPANY. THE ATC LIAISON REPRESENTATIVE IS INVESTIGATING THE MATTER.

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.