Captain of an A320 airbus climbed from assigned arrival altitude in response to a TCASII RA and observation of a beech T34 mentor doing a loop off the right wing area. Approach controller had issued traffic at 1000 ft below the A320's assigned altitude just prior to the T34 doing the loop on the airway. The passenger commented on seeing the T34 making the loop.

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Attributes
ACN	420591
Time
Date	199811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msp airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors enroute airway : v218
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 13900 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	420591
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 4000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Inbound to msp on vector of 270 degrees, descending to 6000 ft, approximately 25 NM southeast of msp. Approach controller called traffic at 10 O'clock northbound 'indicating 5000 ft.' we saw the traffic and called it 'in sight.' as we neared 6000 ft and were given a turn northbound (heading 360 degrees), we observed the other aircraft make a steep turn and head eastbound -- off our right wing. Suddenly, he pulled into a vertical climb and began a loop. We could observe him on TCASII, which now gave us a 'climb, climb' RA. I clicked off the autoplt, went to toga thrust and climbed 200-300 ft. Received clear of conflict and descended back to 6000 ft. We advised ATC of the RA. I don't think this traffic was in class B airspace, but was on or near V218 and V26. My first officer said the aircraft appeared to be a T34. He did see that it had a canopy. I am surprised that they couldn't see our airliner. They appeared to be only about 1/2 mi off our right wing. After landing, some passenger asked if we saw the 'stunt plane.' too close for comfort.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN A320 AIRBUS CLBED FROM ASSIGNED ARR ALT IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA AND OBSERVATION OF A BEECH T34 MENTOR DOING A LOOP OFF THE R WING AREA. APCH CTLR HAD ISSUED TFC AT 1000 FT BELOW THE A320'S ASSIGNED ALT JUST PRIOR TO THE T34 DOING THE LOOP ON THE AIRWAY. THE PAX COMMENTED ON SEEING THE T34 MAKING THE LOOP.

Narrative: INBOUND TO MSP ON VECTOR OF 270 DEGS, DSNDING TO 6000 FT, APPROX 25 NM SE OF MSP. APCH CTLR CALLED TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK NBOUND 'INDICATING 5000 FT.' WE SAW THE TFC AND CALLED IT 'IN SIGHT.' AS WE NEARED 6000 FT AND WERE GIVEN A TURN NBOUND (HDG 360 DEGS), WE OBSERVED THE OTHER ACFT MAKE A STEEP TURN AND HEAD EBOUND -- OFF OUR R WING. SUDDENLY, HE PULLED INTO A VERT CLB AND BEGAN A LOOP. WE COULD OBSERVE HIM ON TCASII, WHICH NOW GAVE US A 'CLB, CLB' RA. I CLICKED OFF THE AUTOPLT, WENT TO TOGA THRUST AND CLBED 200-300 FT. RECEIVED CLR OF CONFLICT AND DSNDED BACK TO 6000 FT. WE ADVISED ATC OF THE RA. I DON'T THINK THIS TFC WAS IN CLASS B AIRSPACE, BUT WAS ON OR NEAR V218 AND V26. MY FO SAID THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE A T34. HE DID SEE THAT IT HAD A CANOPY. I AM SURPRISED THAT THEY COULDN'T SEE OUR AIRLINER. THEY APPEARED TO BE ONLY ABOUT 1/2 MI OFF OUR R WING. AFTER LNDG, SOME PAX ASKED IF WE SAW THE 'STUNT PLANE.' TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT.

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.