Narrative:

En route phx to mem, approximately 100 mi east of adm, center (ZFW) issued turn of 40 degrees. A conflict of whether left or right. Within a few seconds, the TCASII indicated a TA. The sun was obscuring my view of my TCASII indicator, therefore, I could not see an approaching target on my indicator. I commanded the first officer to turn left. As we banked to the left, the conflicting traffic came in at approximately 08:30 O'clock position. Wings were leveled, TCASII issued an RA, and the first officer responded as commanded by TCASII. Altitude reached FL344 and conflict was ended. Requested a descent back to FL330 and on course direct lit. This traffic was never pointed out by ATC prior to the turn. The turn clearance and the TA from TCASII came within a few seconds of each other. I am unaware if the other aircraft was climbing or descending, but we noticed a +400 ft on the target. Corrective action should be: 1) brighter displays for those bright, sunny days. 2) ATC should be more cautious in climbing or descending an aircraft across a level flight aircraft's flight path. The other aircraft reported receiving an RA, but had us in sight. Supplemental information from acn 496509: as we turned and climbed the aircraft, the RA red band went to the 2000-6000 FPM descent scale only and finally resolved. There was initial confusion in the cockpit regarding which direction center had told us to turn. We resolved the confusion by referencing the TCASII display (ie, target on left wing -- turn right to avoid).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 FLC INITIATE EVASIVE TCASII MANEUVER DUE TO OTHER ZFW CONFLICTING TFC. COCKPIT INST DIFFICULT TO SEE DUE TO SUN POS.

Narrative: ENRTE PHX TO MEM, APPROX 100 MI E OF ADM, CTR (ZFW) ISSUED TURN OF 40 DEGS. A CONFLICT OF WHETHER L OR R. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, THE TCASII INDICATED A TA. THE SUN WAS OBSCURING MY VIEW OF MY TCASII INDICATOR, THEREFORE, I COULD NOT SEE AN APCHING TARGET ON MY INDICATOR. I COMMANDED THE FO TO TURN L. AS WE BANKED TO THE L, THE CONFLICTING TFC CAME IN AT APPROX 08:30 O'CLOCK POS. WINGS WERE LEVELED, TCASII ISSUED AN RA, AND THE FO RESPONDED AS COMMANDED BY TCASII. ALT REACHED FL344 AND CONFLICT WAS ENDED. REQUESTED A DSCNT BACK TO FL330 AND ON COURSE DIRECT LIT. THIS TFC WAS NEVER POINTED OUT BY ATC PRIOR TO THE TURN. THE TURN CLRNC AND THE TA FROM TCASII CAME WITHIN A FEW SECONDS OF EACH OTHER. I AM UNAWARE IF THE OTHER ACFT WAS CLBING OR DSNDING, BUT WE NOTICED A +400 FT ON THE TARGET. CORRECTIVE ACTION SHOULD BE: 1) BRIGHTER DISPLAYS FOR THOSE BRIGHT, SUNNY DAYS. 2) ATC SHOULD BE MORE CAUTIOUS IN CLBING OR DSNDING AN ACFT ACROSS A LEVEL FLT ACFT'S FLT PATH. THE OTHER ACFT RPTED RECEIVING AN RA, BUT HAD US IN SIGHT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 496509: AS WE TURNED AND CLBED THE ACFT, THE RA RED BAND WENT TO THE 2000-6000 FPM DSCNT SCALE ONLY AND FINALLY RESOLVED. THERE WAS INITIAL CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT REGARDING WHICH DIRECTION CTR HAD TOLD US TO TURN. WE RESOLVED THE CONFUSION BY REFING THE TCASII DISPLAY (IE, TARGET ON L WING -- TURN R TO AVOID).

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.