MD90 and B757 had TCASII RA when the MD90 was in visual contact.

Attributes
ACN	449800
Time
Date	199909
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-90 Series (DC-9-90) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : ns
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	449800
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	450013
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9000 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were level at 15000 ft. Socal departure called out traffic at 1 O'clock position, 10 mi, air carrier B757. We reported traffic in sight. Socal said 'maintain visual separation, climb to FL280.' we commenced climb, maintaining visual separation. Shortly after we got an RA 'descend, descend.' since we were in the climb and maintaining visual, we continued the climb. (Our understanding of company policy is that if we have visual on the RA, we can ignore it.) unfortunately, the air carrier B757 started climbing in response to his RA. We had adequate lateral separation (2 mi or more), and did not have to maneuver the aircraft to miss the aircraft. I wonder in hindsight if we should have followed our TCASII (which was commanding a descent), or just have waited until traffic was clear before we climbed. I was never uncomfortable with the clearance or the separation. Throughout the entire evolution, the WX was clear, visibility greater than 20 mi -- a nice day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD90 AND B757 HAD TCASII RA WHEN THE MD90 WAS IN VISUAL CONTACT.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 15000 FT. SOCAL DEP CALLED OUT TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK POS, 10 MI, ACR B757. WE RPTED TFC IN SIGHT. SOCAL SAID 'MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION, CLB TO FL280.' WE COMMENCED CLB, MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION. SHORTLY AFTER WE GOT AN RA 'DSND, DSND.' SINCE WE WERE IN THE CLB AND MAINTAINING VISUAL, WE CONTINUED THE CLB. (OUR UNDERSTANDING OF COMPANY POLICY IS THAT IF WE HAVE VISUAL ON THE RA, WE CAN IGNORE IT.) UNFORTUNATELY, THE ACR B757 STARTED CLBING IN RESPONSE TO HIS RA. WE HAD ADEQUATE LATERAL SEPARATION (2 MI OR MORE), AND DID NOT HAVE TO MANEUVER THE ACFT TO MISS THE ACFT. I WONDER IN HINDSIGHT IF WE SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED OUR TCASII (WHICH WAS COMMANDING A DSCNT), OR JUST HAVE WAITED UNTIL TRAFFIC WAS CLR BEFORE WE CLBED. I WAS NEVER UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE CLRNC OR THE SEPARATION. THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EVOLUTION, THE WX WAS CLR, VISIBILITY GREATER THAN 20 MI -- A NICE DAY.

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.