An MD80 flight crew receives a TCASII RA after being cleared to FL290 where the other aircraft was.

Attributes
ACN	608214
Time
Date	200402
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zla.artcc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28400 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	608214
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	608213
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 42000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

While in cruise at FL280, ZLA issued a clearance to FL290. Captain acknowledged the clearance and we confirmed the new altitude with each other. I began a climb in vertical speed (1000 FPM) and passing FL282 got a TA on an aircraft at 7 NM which quickly transitioned to an RA on the same aircraft at 5 NM as I passed FL284. I immediately responded by disconnecting the autoplt and autothrottle and descended back towards FL280 -- closest approach to the other aircraft was equal/greater than 500 ft separation on TCASII. We were just about to advise ZLA of the incident when the controller advised us to maintain FL280.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLT CREW RECEIVES A TCASII RA AFTER BEING CLRED TO FL290 WHERE THE OTHER ACFT WAS.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE AT FL280, ZLA ISSUED A CLRNC TO FL290. CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND WE CONFIRMED THE NEW ALT WITH EACH OTHER. I BEGAN A CLB IN VERT SPD (1000 FPM) AND PASSING FL282 GOT A TA ON AN ACFT AT 7 NM WHICH QUICKLY TRANSITIONED TO AN RA ON THE SAME ACFT AT 5 NM AS I PASSED FL284. I IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED BY DISCONNECTING THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLE AND DSNDED BACK TOWARDS FL280 -- CLOSEST APCH TO THE OTHER ACFT WAS EQUAL/GREATER THAN 500 FT SEPARATION ON TCASII. WE WERE JUST ABOUT TO ADVISE ZLA OF THE INCIDENT WHEN THE CTLR ADVISED US TO MAINTAIN FL280.

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.