Narrative:

On the pullman arrival passing FL180, we received a TCASII TA followed by an RA commanding us to reduce descent rate. We complied with RA command and leveled off at our assigned altitude of 16000 ft. ATC gave us a clearance to descend to 10000 ft, but we also got a climb RA. I initiated a climb to comply while my first officer told ATC that we were unable to comply with descent clearance. An air carrier Y flight heading southeast crossed our flight path close in front of us at our altitude. A few seconds after this, we received a TCASII 'clear of conflict.' we questioned ATC, and were told that the air carrier Y flight had us in sight and had requested a visual climb. ATC had granted the request telling the air carrier Y flight to maintain visual separation from us. The air carrier Y pilot responded to us and ATC that he had misjudged his rate of climb and his separation from our flight, and he apologized. This was too close and safety was compromised. The problem: 1) ATC gives visual climbs or dscnts without both aircraft having each other in sight (only 1 required). 2) different carriers having different procedures when they received TCASII RA. This time one carrier must follow RA commands, the other carrier is captain's discretion. These 2 problems must be corrected before it is too late.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A WDB CLBED IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA DURING A STAR ARR RESULTING IN A CRITICAL AIRBORNE CONFLICT. THE OTHER ACFT WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE ARTCC CTLR TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH RPTR'S ACFT DURING THEIR CLB.

Narrative: ON THE PULLMAN ARR PASSING FL180, WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA FOLLOWED BY AN RA COMMANDING US TO REDUCE DSCNT RATE. WE COMPLIED WITH RA COMMAND AND LEVELED OFF AT OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 16000 FT. ATC GAVE US A CLRNC TO DSND TO 10000 FT, BUT WE ALSO GOT A CLB RA. I INITIATED A CLB TO COMPLY WHILE MY FO TOLD ATC THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH DSCNT CLRNC. AN ACR Y FLT HDG SE CROSSED OUR FLT PATH CLOSE IN FRONT OF US AT OUR ALT. A FEW SECONDS AFTER THIS, WE RECEIVED A TCASII 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' WE QUESTIONED ATC, AND WERE TOLD THAT THE ACR Y FLT HAD US IN SIGHT AND HAD REQUESTED A VISUAL CLB. ATC HAD GRANTED THE REQUEST TELLING THE ACR Y FLT TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM US. THE ACR Y PLT RESPONDED TO US AND ATC THAT HE HAD MISJUDGED HIS RATE OF CLB AND HIS SEPARATION FROM OUR FLT, AND HE APOLOGIZED. THIS WAS TOO CLOSE AND SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED. THE PROB: 1) ATC GIVES VISUAL CLBS OR DSCNTS WITHOUT BOTH ACFT HAVING EACH OTHER IN SIGHT (ONLY 1 REQUIRED). 2) DIFFERENT CARRIERS HAVING DIFFERENT PROCS WHEN THEY RECEIVED TCASII RA. THIS TIME ONE CARRIER MUST FOLLOW RA COMMANDS, THE OTHER CARRIER IS CAPT'S DISCRETION. THESE 2 PROBS MUST BE CORRECTED BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

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.