Aircraft B737 flight crew attempts to question ZME controller about a TCASII TA while in climb, but is required to initiate descend due to a TCASII RA.

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Attributes
ACN	445092
Time
Date	199907
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mei.vortac
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29500 msl bound upper : 31500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 400 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	445092
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

During climb, ATC asked us to maintain our best rate of climb. They later asked us to maintain our present heading. We then received a TA from the TCASII. I tried to ask ATC about the traffic, but there was someone talking to center. We then got an RA to descend. We descended to approximately 2000 ft to 29500 ft MSL. At the same time we heard another airline announcing they were climbing because of a TCASII RA. The traffic passed to our right above us. I feel one problem with ATC is they monitor too many frequencys, thus causing them to be distracted from what is happening on all of the frequencys. I am not sure this happened in this case, but I have seen it many other times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT B737 FLC ATTEMPTS TO QUESTION ZME CTLR ABOUT A TCASII TA WHILE IN CLB, BUT IS REQUIRED TO INITIATE DSND DUE TO A TCASII RA.

Narrative: DURING CLB, ATC ASKED US TO MAINTAIN OUR BEST RATE OF CLB. THEY LATER ASKED US TO MAINTAIN OUR PRESENT HEADING. WE THEN RECEIVED A TA FROM THE TCASII. I TRIED TO ASK ATC ABOUT THE TFC, BUT THERE WAS SOMEONE TALKING TO CTR. WE THEN GOT AN RA TO DSND. WE DSNDED TO APPROX 2000 FT TO 29500 FT MSL. AT THE SAME TIME WE HEARD ANOTHER AIRLINE ANNOUNCING THEY WERE CLBING BECAUSE OF A TCASII RA. THE TFC PASSED TO OUR R ABOVE US. I FEEL ONE PROB WITH ATC IS THEY MONITOR TOO MANY FREQS, THUS CAUSING THEM TO BE DISTRACTED FROM WHAT IS HAPPENING ON ALL OF THE FREQS. I AM NOT SURE THIS HAPPENED IN THIS CASE, BUT I HAVE SEEN IT MANY OTHER TIMES.

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.