Narrative:

Level cruise flight at 11000 ft, 3 NM sse mrb, proceeding direct. Traffic popped up on TCASII and we received a 'traffic' alert from GPWS. Seconds later, we received a 'monitor vertical speed' -- in which our vsi lights up with red and green colors for which way to go. Immediately after that, was a command to 'descend.' as we left 11000 ft and started a descent to comply with the RA, we advised potomac approach of our descent and the reason. He then stated that a single cessna was at 11500 ft. When we first saw the target, he indicated +400 ft which would be 400 ft above or 11400 ft. No previous reports were received from potomac approach. We descended to approximately 10500 ft and saw traffic directly above us. Once clear, we returned to 11000 ft. My biggest concern is, that with the beech, we still fly with the cockpit doors open, and all alerts come across the speakers -- which can easily be heard back to row 5. We have full (19 passenger) and this alert followed by an abrupt descent will scare passenger more than necessary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRITICAL CONFLICT OCCURS BTWN A BE1900 IN CRUISE AND SAME DIRECTION C172 VFR, 400 FT ABOVE, WHEN 3 MI SSE OF MRB, WV.

Narrative: LEVEL CRUISE FLT AT 11000 FT, 3 NM SSE MRB, PROCEEDING DIRECT. TFC POPPED UP ON TCASII AND WE RECEIVED A 'TFC' ALERT FROM GPWS. SECONDS LATER, WE RECEIVED A 'MONITOR VERT SPD' -- IN WHICH OUR VSI LIGHTS UP WITH RED AND GREEN COLORS FOR WHICH WAY TO GO. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT, WAS A COMMAND TO 'DSND.' AS WE LEFT 11000 FT AND STARTED A DSCNT TO COMPLY WITH THE RA, WE ADVISED POTOMAC APCH OF OUR DSCNT AND THE REASON. HE THEN STATED THAT A SINGLE CESSNA WAS AT 11500 FT. WHEN WE FIRST SAW THE TARGET, HE INDICATED +400 FT WHICH WOULD BE 400 FT ABOVE OR 11400 FT. NO PREVIOUS RPTS WERE RECEIVED FROM POTOMAC APCH. WE DSNDED TO APPROX 10500 FT AND SAW TFC DIRECTLY ABOVE US. ONCE CLR, WE RETURNED TO 11000 FT. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS, THAT WITH THE BEECH, WE STILL FLY WITH THE COCKPIT DOORS OPEN, AND ALL ALERTS COME ACROSS THE SPEAKERS -- WHICH CAN EASILY BE HEARD BACK TO ROW 5. WE HAVE FULL (19 PAX) AND THIS ALERT FOLLOWED BY AN ABRUPT DSCNT WILL SCARE PAX MORE THAN NECESSARY.

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.