B757 crew had a TCASII RA in pit class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	481775
Time
Date	200008
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	481775
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather FAA ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	FAA
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : pit.tracon staffing : pit.tracon

Narrative:

Climbing out of pit, mid day, thunderstorms, many aircraft deviating, we got an RA TCASII warning to descend at approximately 1200-1500 FPM. (We were climbing at about 3000 FPM.) we followed the TCASII instructions. Upon calling pit departure to report the RA, the controller would not acknowledge it. I, as captain, finally refused the frequency change until he acknowledged my RA. He finally said there was an air carrier flight above me and that 'there wasn't a problem.' upon speaking to his supervisor later, I confirmed this controller was swamped, working 2 sectors with WX deviations going on. Supervisor said he was overseeing this controller, but he initially used the phrase 'I came over to him....' there was not enough help for this controller, and he was definitely overloaded! During this type of WX/traffic situation, all hands should be on deck.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW HAD A TCASII RA IN PIT CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: CLBING OUT OF PIT, MID DAY, TSTMS, MANY ACFT DEVIATING, WE GOT AN RA TCASII WARNING TO DSND AT APPROX 1200-1500 FPM. (WE WERE CLBING AT ABOUT 3000 FPM.) WE FOLLOWED THE TCASII INSTRUCTIONS. UPON CALLING PIT DEP TO RPT THE RA, THE CTLR WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT. I, AS CAPT, FINALLY REFUSED THE FREQ CHANGE UNTIL HE ACKNOWLEDGED MY RA. HE FINALLY SAID THERE WAS AN ACR FLT ABOVE ME AND THAT 'THERE WASN'T A PROB.' UPON SPEAKING TO HIS SUPVR LATER, I CONFIRMED THIS CTLR WAS SWAMPED, WORKING 2 SECTORS WITH WX DEVS GOING ON. SUPVR SAID HE WAS OVERSEEING THIS CTLR, BUT HE INITIALLY USED THE PHRASE 'I CAME OVER TO HIM....' THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH HELP FOR THIS CTLR, AND HE WAS DEFINITELY OVERLOADED! DURING THIS TYPE OF WX/TFC SIT, ALL HANDS SHOULD BE ON DECK.

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.