BAE146 stopped descent and climbed during cruise descent in response to TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	542104
Time
Date	200203
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pxv.vortac
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 26600 msl bound upper : 27000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog Rain
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	BAe 146 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : j29.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j29.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	542104
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

En route to sdf, level at FL270 on J29, 10 mi northeast of pxv. ZID cleared us to descend to FL240. I started a descent at 1000 FPM. At approximately FL266, I noticed an aircraft on our TCASII at 12 O'clock position at -600 ft. I slowed the descent and my captain (PNF) verified with ZID that we were cleared to FL240. He also asked ZID if he had traffic on radar at our 12 O'clock position and 600 ft low. He had the traffic on radar and replied to climb and maintain FL270. About the same time, we had a TA and an RA. I disconnected the autoplt and quickly climbed back to FL270. I would say that our aircraft came within 500 ft and 4 mi of the other aircraft. The other aircraft (aircraft Y) was on J29 at FL260 en route to mem and was already handed off to ZME. My captain talked with the manager at ZID upon arrival in sdf. The controller claimed that he was thinking that aircraft Y was at FL280 when it was at FL260. ZID claims we were within 1000 ft and 5 mi by review of radar recording. ZME claims we were within 1200 ft and 7 mi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BAE146 STOPPED DSCNT AND CLBED DURING CRUISE DSCNT IN RESPONSE TO TCASII RA.

Narrative: ENRTE TO SDF, LEVEL AT FL270 ON J29, 10 MI NE OF PXV. ZID CLRED US TO DSND TO FL240. I STARTED A DSCNT AT 1000 FPM. AT APPROX FL266, I NOTICED AN ACFT ON OUR TCASII AT 12 O'CLOCK POS AT -600 FT. I SLOWED THE DSCNT AND MY CAPT (PNF) VERIFIED WITH ZID THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL240. HE ALSO ASKED ZID IF HE HAD TFC ON RADAR AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS AND 600 FT LOW. HE HAD THE TFC ON RADAR AND REPLIED TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL270. ABOUT THE SAME TIME, WE HAD A TA AND AN RA. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND QUICKLY CLBED BACK TO FL270. I WOULD SAY THAT OUR ACFT CAME WITHIN 500 FT AND 4 MI OF THE OTHER ACFT. THE OTHER ACFT (ACFT Y) WAS ON J29 AT FL260 ENRTE TO MEM AND WAS ALREADY HANDED OFF TO ZME. MY CAPT TALKED WITH THE MGR AT ZID UPON ARR IN SDF. THE CTLR CLAIMED THAT HE WAS THINKING THAT ACFT Y WAS AT FL280 WHEN IT WAS AT FL260. ZID CLAIMS WE WERE WITHIN 1000 FT AND 5 MI BY REVIEW OF RADAR RECORDING. ZME CLAIMS WE WERE WITHIN 1200 FT AND 7 MI.

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.