A320 reacts to TCASII RA during departure from palm springs, ca. Departure radar was inoperative.

Attributes
ACN	460200
Time
Date	200001
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : psp.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : cath7.psp
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	460200
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	460281
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance ATC Facility
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Handoff from psp departure to ZLA had just occurred. Aircraft flying with autoplt on, and managed navigation in full compliance with SID and assigned altitudes. Aircraft in right turn just after passing emrud (CATH7.psp). ZLA instructed flight 'go direct tnp.' direct tnp, selected in mcdu. Aircraft turned left (shortest turn) and proceeded direct to tnp. RA occurred shortly after aircraft was established in left turn. Supplemental information from acn 460281: on a cathedral 7 departure out of psp, just as we reached emrud, we were switched to ZLA, who immediately gave us 'cleared direct to twentynine palms.' I put direct tnp into the mcdu and the aircraft started a left turn (shortest direction). Almost immediately we got an RA from an aircraft crossing directly in front of us at our altitude. Following TCASII instructions, the PF descended to 8500 ft and the conflict was cleared. The psp radar was OTS and this most assuredly contributed to the situation. The center controller may have expected us to turn right as we were already starting a right turn as part of the SID, but the clearance issued was 'direct' and the automation took the shortest direction. Center did call the traffic after we were into RA. A VFR climb rather than the rather complicated SID in a non radar environment would probably have prevented the situation. Even doing our own controling using the TCASII would have been better. This was the second of 2 TCASII RA's we got on this departure (the first reported under separate cover).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 REACTS TO TCASII RA DURING DEP FROM PALM SPRINGS, CA. DEP RADAR WAS INOP.

Narrative: HDOF FROM PSP DEP TO ZLA HAD JUST OCCURRED. ACFT FLYING WITH AUTOPLT ON, AND MANAGED NAV IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH SID AND ASSIGNED ALTS. ACFT IN R TURN JUST AFTER PASSING EMRUD (CATH7.PSP). ZLA INSTRUCTED FLT 'GO DIRECT TNP.' DIRECT TNP, SELECTED IN MCDU. ACFT TURNED L (SHORTEST TURN) AND PROCEEDED DIRECT TO TNP. RA OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER ACFT WAS ESTABLISHED IN L TURN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 460281: ON A CATHEDRAL 7 DEP OUT OF PSP, JUST AS WE REACHED EMRUD, WE WERE SWITCHED TO ZLA, WHO IMMEDIATELY GAVE US 'CLRED DIRECT TO TWENTYNINE PALMS.' I PUT DIRECT TNP INTO THE MCDU AND THE ACFT STARTED A L TURN (SHORTEST DIRECTION). ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WE GOT AN RA FROM AN ACFT XING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US AT OUR ALT. FOLLOWING TCASII INSTRUCTIONS, THE PF DSNDED TO 8500 FT AND THE CONFLICT WAS CLRED. THE PSP RADAR WAS OTS AND THIS MOST ASSUREDLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE SIT. THE CTR CTLR MAY HAVE EXPECTED US TO TURN R AS WE WERE ALREADY STARTING A R TURN AS PART OF THE SID, BUT THE CLRNC ISSUED WAS 'DIRECT' AND THE AUTOMATION TOOK THE SHORTEST DIRECTION. CTR DID CALL THE TFC AFTER WE WERE INTO RA. A VFR CLB RATHER THAN THE RATHER COMPLICATED SID IN A NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE PREVENTED THE SIT. EVEN DOING OUR OWN CTLING USING THE TCASII WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. THIS WAS THE SECOND OF 2 TCASII RA'S WE GOT ON THIS DEP (THE FIRST RPTED UNDER SEPARATE COVER).

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.