Narrative:

While approximately 33 DME from TTT and established on localizer runway 13R at dfw per ATC instructions, a single engine fixed gear high wing pilatus aircraft was observed climbing toward us at a very steep angle of attack and angle of climb. We were level at 5000 ft at the time, being vectored by approach to dfw. Almost simultaneous with our sighting of this aircraft, we first received a TA, then an RA from our TCASII, and ATC called us with 'pop-up traffic, 12 O'clock position, 3 mi, a pilatus climbing out of 4500 ft.' our TCASII RA commanded at least a 3000 FPM climb, which we complied with. It did not state 'clear of conflict' until we were passing through 6000 ft MSL. This aircraft was apparently part of some parachute jumping group, but ATC was surprised by his position. The very steep climb angle probably made this aircraft's crew difficult to see our aircraft. We had received a TA on the outbound leg from dfw to law, and it was also a jumper aircraft maneuvering. Conditions were VMC, but the situation of an aircraft under positive control being placed in close proximity to jump aircraft just does not make good safety sense. Since dec/99, I have received more RA's in the dfw area than RA's from all other combined airspace, and in each case, ATC knew of the other aircraft's presence. Relying on see and avoid where TCASII logic generates RA's regularly is a bad ATC practice, and this needs to stop. Other pilots in this airspace with TCASII complain of similar regularity of RA's in dfw TRACON airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SF340 FLC PERFORMS AN EVASIVE ACTION CLB AT 5000 FT IN RESPONSE TO A CLBING PILATUS SKYDIVING ACFT JUST 2 MI OUTSIDE OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE OF DFW, TX.

Narrative: WHILE APPROX 33 DME FROM TTT AND ESTABLISHED ON LOC RWY 13R AT DFW PER ATC INSTRUCTIONS, A SINGLE ENG FIXED GEAR HIGH WING PILATUS ACFT WAS OBSERVED CLBING TOWARD US AT A VERY STEEP ANGLE OF ATTACK AND ANGLE OF CLB. WE WERE LEVEL AT 5000 FT AT THE TIME, BEING VECTORED BY APCH TO DFW. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUS WITH OUR SIGHTING OF THIS ACFT, WE FIRST RECEIVED A TA, THEN AN RA FROM OUR TCASII, AND ATC CALLED US WITH 'POP-UP TFC, 12 O'CLOCK POS, 3 MI, A PILATUS CLBING OUT OF 4500 FT.' OUR TCASII RA COMMANDED AT LEAST A 3000 FPM CLB, WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH. IT DID NOT STATE 'CLR OF CONFLICT' UNTIL WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 6000 FT MSL. THIS ACFT WAS APPARENTLY PART OF SOME PARACHUTE JUMPING GROUP, BUT ATC WAS SURPRISED BY HIS POS. THE VERY STEEP CLB ANGLE PROBABLY MADE THIS ACFT'S CREW DIFFICULT TO SEE OUR ACFT. WE HAD RECEIVED A TA ON THE OUTBOUND LEG FROM DFW TO LAW, AND IT WAS ALSO A JUMPER ACFT MANEUVERING. CONDITIONS WERE VMC, BUT THE SIT OF AN ACFT UNDER POSITIVE CTL BEING PLACED IN CLOSE PROX TO JUMP ACFT JUST DOES NOT MAKE GOOD SAFETY SENSE. SINCE DEC/99, I HAVE RECEIVED MORE RA'S IN THE DFW AREA THAN RA'S FROM ALL OTHER COMBINED AIRSPACE, AND IN EACH CASE, ATC KNEW OF THE OTHER ACFT'S PRESENCE. RELYING ON SEE AND AVOID WHERE TCASII LOGIC GENERATES RA'S REGULARLY IS A BAD ATC PRACTICE, AND THIS NEEDS TO STOP. OTHER PLTS IN THIS AIRSPACE WITH TCASII COMPLAIN OF SIMILAR REGULARITY OF RA'S IN DFW TRACON AIRSPACE.

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.