Air carrier has TCASII RA during handoff from tower to TRACON at mdt, PA.

Attributes
ACN	466763
Time
Date	200003
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdt.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3300 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mdt.tracon tower : mdt.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mdt.tracon
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	466763
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	466762
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Takeoff clearance was runway heading to 3000 ft. After takeoff tower cleared us to 8000 ft with a good rate through 5000 ft for traffic at 4000 ft. We went IMC in a rain shower and maintained our best climb. Passing 3300 ft a TCASII target popped up at 12 O'clock position at 4-5 mi at 4000 ft. Closure appeared very rapid indicating a high aspect intercept. At 3500 ft TCASII gave us a hard descend RA. Going from a maximum rate climb to an immediate descent low level IMC is a fairly abrupt and uncomfortable maneuver. Our momentum kept the aircraft gaining altitude while the nose was being pushed over. We apexed at 4000 ft. When TCASII target was about 2 NM at 12 O'clock position we apexed and started down and acquired the helicopter visually heading straight at us. I deemed lateral maneuvering was immediately required as well as vertical maneuvering. When clear of conflict we went to departure frequency and the helicopter was questioning ATC about what had happened and that he maneuvered as well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS TCASII RA DURING HDOF FROM TWR TO TRACON AT MDT, PA.

Narrative: TKOF CLRNC WAS RWY HEADING TO 3000 FT. AFTER TKOF TWR CLRED US TO 8000 FT WITH A GOOD RATE THROUGH 5000 FT FOR TFC AT 4000 FT. WE WENT IMC IN A RAIN SHOWER AND MAINTAINED OUR BEST CLB. PASSING 3300 FT A TCASII TARGET POPPED UP AT 12 O'CLOCK POS AT 4-5 MI AT 4000 FT. CLOSURE APPEARED VERY RAPID INDICATING A HIGH ASPECT INTERCEPT. AT 3500 FT TCASII GAVE US A HARD DSND RA. GOING FROM A MAX RATE CLB TO AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT LOW LEVEL IMC IS A FAIRLY ABRUPT AND UNCOMFORTABLE MANEUVER. OUR MOMENTUM KEPT THE ACFT GAINING ALT WHILE THE NOSE WAS BEING PUSHED OVER. WE APEXED AT 4000 FT. WHEN TCASII TARGET WAS ABOUT 2 NM AT 12 O'CLOCK POS WE APEXED AND STARTED DOWN AND ACQUIRED THE HELI VISUALLY HEADING STRAIGHT AT US. I DEEMED LATERAL MANEUVERING WAS IMMEDIATELY REQUIRED AS WELL AS VERT MANEUVERING. WHEN CLR OF CONFLICT WE WENT TO DEP FREQ AND THE HELI WAS QUESTIONING ATC ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND THAT HE MANEUVERED AS WELL.

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.