DC10-30 crew had TCASII RA in ZMP class a airspace.

Attributes
ACN	511241
Time
Date	200105
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 30000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	511241
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 1500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Flying a DC10-30 (ex air carrier X) which was still configured in air carrier X operation. Cockpit switches/controls were still in air carrier X confign -- not air carrier Y confign. Aircraft was climbing en route on IFR clearance to ind. Aircraft cleared to FL230, then cleared to FL330 (although the flight plan was for FL290). ZMP controller was working the flight on frequency 133.75, and it seemed to be busy workload for controller. Approaching odi VOR and at approximately FL300, TCASII advisories started, followed by 'descend' command. Captain was flying, descended aircraft as instructed by TCASII. ZMP controller then queried flight as to assigned altitude we were climbing to. I responded that flight had been cleared to 'FL330.' captain had descended aircraft to FL290 and 090 degree heading as assigned by ATC controller. During climb phase of flight, captain and I had always confirmed our newly assigned altitudes, including climb assignment to FL330. I read back all altitude assignments to ATC. DC10 aircraft had a very different and nonstandard cockpit layout for radios -- WX radar and some other indicating system. The TCASII is incorporated in the WX radar display and not easily read when WX radar function is operating and TCASII operating. This was our 'first time ever flight' in this particular airplane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10-30 CREW HAD TCASII RA IN ZMP CLASS A AIRSPACE.

Narrative: FLYING A DC10-30 (EX ACR X) WHICH WAS STILL CONFIGURED IN ACR X OP. COCKPIT SWITCHES/CTLS WERE STILL IN ACR X CONFIGN -- NOT ACR Y CONFIGN. ACFT WAS CLBING ENRTE ON IFR CLRNC TO IND. ACFT CLRED TO FL230, THEN CLRED TO FL330 (ALTHOUGH THE FLT PLAN WAS FOR FL290). ZMP CTLR WAS WORKING THE FLT ON FREQ 133.75, AND IT SEEMED TO BE BUSY WORKLOAD FOR CTLR. APCHING ODI VOR AND AT APPROX FL300, TCASII ADVISORIES STARTED, FOLLOWED BY 'DSND' COMMAND. CAPT WAS FLYING, DSNDED ACFT AS INSTRUCTED BY TCASII. ZMP CTLR THEN QUERIED FLT AS TO ASSIGNED ALT WE WERE CLBING TO. I RESPONDED THAT FLT HAD BEEN CLRED TO 'FL330.' CAPT HAD DSNDED ACFT TO FL290 AND 090 DEG HDG AS ASSIGNED BY ATC CTLR. DURING CLB PHASE OF FLT, CAPT AND I HAD ALWAYS CONFIRMED OUR NEWLY ASSIGNED ALTS, INCLUDING CLB ASSIGNMENT TO FL330. I READ BACK ALL ALT ASSIGNMENTS TO ATC. DC10 ACFT HAD A VERY DIFFERENT AND NONSTANDARD COCKPIT LAYOUT FOR RADIOS -- WX RADAR AND SOME OTHER INDICATING SYS. THE TCASII IS INCORPORATED IN THE WX RADAR DISPLAY AND NOT EASILY READ WHEN WX RADAR FUNCTION IS OPERATING AND TCASII OPERATING. THIS WAS OUR 'FIRST TIME EVER FLT' IN THIS PARTICULAR AIRPLANE.

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.