Narrative:

We were departing mob climbing to 8000 ft MSL northeast of mob. After leveling at 8000 ft MSL, departure reported 'traffic 1 O'clock.' we responded 'negative contact' since we were in and out of clouds. The other aircraft reported us 'in sight.' departure instructed us that the other had had us 'in sight' and 'climb to 10000 ft MSL.' we initiated the climb and received a TA which immediately became an RA to leveloff climb. I stopped the climb and the RA changed to a 'descend' command. TCASII was calling for 1000 FPM down, which I immediately set. Meanwhile the captain visually made contact with the other aircraft estimated 200 ft above us. The captain informed departure that we had descended to 7500 ft due to RA. Departure reprimanded us and told us we should not have descended and to climb to 10000 ft. The captain informed him that we received an RA and were obligated to comply. Departure's response was 'climb 10000 ft, contact center on frequency.' I do not believe the other aircraft did anything wrong. When he reported us in sight we were level. The problem began when we were instructed to climb. This much smaller single engine aircraft may not have realized the climb capability of our aircraft and making that aircraft responsible for separation when we did not see him may have been overwhelming. Departure should also know that RA's must be complied with. Supplemental information from acn 472316: after climbing out of mob and level at 8000 ft, the departure controller told us of traffic at 1 O'clock and 8500 ft. Shortly thereafter, the controller told us to climb to 10000 ft, but before we could begin the climb our TCASII issued a TA followed shortly by a 'monitor vertical speed' aural, which instructed us to remain level at 8000 ft. Within seconds our TCASII issued an RA that instructed us to 'descend' at approximately 1000 FPM. Upon reaching approximately 7500 ft, the TCASII issued a 'clear of conflict' aural, at which time we regained our vacated altitude and climbed to 10000 ft after reconfirmation. Once clear of the conflict, I told the controller of the RA and subsequent descent to 7500 ft to which he replied 'the other aircraft had you in sight.' perhaps the other aircraft was instructed to maintain visual separation, I am not sure. I didn't see the opposing aircraft which was a GA type until it was directly over us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 CREW CLBING OUT OF MOB RECEIVES AN RA TO DSND. THE RADAR CTLR AT MOB APCH FELT THE CREW SHOULD HAVE CLBED.

Narrative: WE WERE DEPARTING MOB CLBING TO 8000 FT MSL NE OF MOB. AFTER LEVELING AT 8000 FT MSL, DEP RPTED 'TFC 1 O'CLOCK.' WE RESPONDED 'NEGATIVE CONTACT' SINCE WE WERE IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS. THE OTHER ACFT RPTED US 'IN SIGHT.' DEP INSTRUCTED US THAT THE OTHER HAD HAD US 'IN SIGHT' AND 'CLB TO 10000 FT MSL.' WE INITIATED THE CLB AND RECEIVED A TA WHICH IMMEDIATELY BECAME AN RA TO LEVELOFF CLB. I STOPPED THE CLB AND THE RA CHANGED TO A 'DSND' COMMAND. TCASII WAS CALLING FOR 1000 FPM DOWN, WHICH I IMMEDIATELY SET. MEANWHILE THE CAPT VISUALLY MADE CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT ESTIMATED 200 FT ABOVE US. THE CAPT INFORMED DEP THAT WE HAD DSNDED TO 7500 FT DUE TO RA. DEP REPRIMANDED US AND TOLD US WE SHOULD NOT HAVE DSNDED AND TO CLB TO 10000 FT. THE CAPT INFORMED HIM THAT WE RECEIVED AN RA AND WERE OBLIGATED TO COMPLY. DEP'S RESPONSE WAS 'CLB 10000 FT, CONTACT CTR ON FREQ.' I DO NOT BELIEVE THE OTHER ACFT DID ANYTHING WRONG. WHEN HE RPTED US IN SIGHT WE WERE LEVEL. THE PROB BEGAN WHEN WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CLB. THIS MUCH SMALLER SINGLE ENG ACFT MAY NOT HAVE REALIZED THE CLB CAPABILITY OF OUR ACFT AND MAKING THAT ACFT RESPONSIBLE FOR SEPARATION WHEN WE DID NOT SEE HIM MAY HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMING. DEP SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT RA'S MUST BE COMPLIED WITH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 472316: AFTER CLBING OUT OF MOB AND LEVEL AT 8000 FT, THE DEP CTLR TOLD US OF TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK AND 8500 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE CTLR TOLD US TO CLB TO 10000 FT, BUT BEFORE WE COULD BEGIN THE CLB OUR TCASII ISSUED A TA FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY A 'MONITOR VERT SPD' AURAL, WHICH INSTRUCTED US TO REMAIN LEVEL AT 8000 FT. WITHIN SECONDS OUR TCASII ISSUED AN RA THAT INSTRUCTED US TO 'DSND' AT APPROX 1000 FPM. UPON REACHING APPROX 7500 FT, THE TCASII ISSUED A 'CLR OF CONFLICT' AURAL, AT WHICH TIME WE REGAINED OUR VACATED ALT AND CLBED TO 10000 FT AFTER RECONFIRMATION. ONCE CLR OF THE CONFLICT, I TOLD THE CTLR OF THE RA AND SUBSEQUENT DSCNT TO 7500 FT TO WHICH HE REPLIED 'THE OTHER ACFT HAD YOU IN SIGHT.' PERHAPS THE OTHER ACFT WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION, I AM NOT SURE. I DIDN'T SEE THE OPPOSING ACFT WHICH WAS A GA TYPE UNTIL IT WAS DIRECTLY OVER US.

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.