Air carrier crew had TCASII RA in ZDC class a.

Attributes
ACN	491218
Time
Date	200011
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : csn.vortac
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	491218
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : zdc.artcc staffing : zdc.artcc

Narrative:

ZDC cleared us to 11000 ft. Approaching FL190, we were told to immediately level off for traffic. TCASII gave a TA, then an RA to climb. Traffic was sighted at 9 O'clock position, 500 ft below and approximately 1/2 mi. At the same time, the controller called out the traffic. Prior to this incident, ZDC held us up at FL370 and failed to respond to repeated calls. Other aircraft were also repeatedly calling center who was talking, but not responding to other aircraft. We were issued a crossing restr of 50 mi west of csn at FL280 and told to expedite. We were directly over that point at FL370 when the clearance was given. The ZDC controllers seemed very overwhelmed, and not able to handle the incoming traffic safely. Traffic separation was lost due to controller error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW HAD TCASII RA IN ZDC CLASS A.

Narrative: ZDC CLRED US TO 11000 FT. APCHING FL190, WE WERE TOLD TO IMMEDIATELY LEVEL OFF FOR TFC. TCASII GAVE A TA, THEN AN RA TO CLB. TFC WAS SIGHTED AT 9 O'CLOCK POS, 500 FT BELOW AND APPROX 1/2 MI. AT THE SAME TIME, THE CTLR CALLED OUT THE TFC. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, ZDC HELD US UP AT FL370 AND FAILED TO RESPOND TO REPEATED CALLS. OTHER ACFT WERE ALSO REPEATEDLY CALLING CTR WHO WAS TALKING, BUT NOT RESPONDING TO OTHER ACFT. WE WERE ISSUED A XING RESTR OF 50 MI W OF CSN AT FL280 AND TOLD TO EXPEDITE. WE WERE DIRECTLY OVER THAT POINT AT FL370 WHEN THE CLRNC WAS GIVEN. THE ZDC CTLRS SEEMED VERY OVERWHELMED, AND NOT ABLE TO HANDLE THE INCOMING TFC SAFELY. TFC SEPARATION WAS LOST DUE TO CTLR ERROR.

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.