IFR C172 with dab TRACON climbs above assigned altitude resulting in TCASII event with air carrier a...

Attributes
ACN	613343
Time
Date	200403
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dab.tracon
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dab.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : v3.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dab.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time total : 250
ASRS Report	613343
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from melbourne, fl, to augusta, GA. When I reached my assigned altitude, I activated my autoplt. WX was clear with unlimited visibility. The autoplt started me into a gradual climb. As I attempted to maintain assigned altitude, daytona (I think) approach control advised that I had traffic at 3 O'clock position, wbound at 10000 ft. Traffic was not a factor. Sufficient horizontal separation existed. However, TCASII went off on the jet. I was shocked because I had traffic in sight and could not see cause for changing heading. ATC had my altitude transponder and did not advise either plane of problems prior to TCASII going off. I don't know what the TCASII safe zone is around that aircraft but I would have expected ATC to vector me around traffic, and their TCASII safe zones. The aircraft Y TCASII should have had me and my altitude on their scope long before the alarm went off. Again in clear WX unlimited visibility there was no danger and clearly no need for evasive action on anyone's part.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR C172 WITH DAB TRACON CLBS ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT RESULTING IN TCASII EVENT WITH ACR AT 9000 FT.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM MELBOURNE, FL, TO AUGUSTA, GA. WHEN I REACHED MY ASSIGNED ALT, I ACTIVATED MY AUTOPLT. WX WAS CLR WITH UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. THE AUTOPLT STARTED ME INTO A GRADUAL CLB. AS I ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN ASSIGNED ALT, DAYTONA (I THINK) APCH CTL ADVISED THAT I HAD TFC AT 3 O'CLOCK POS, WBOUND AT 10000 FT. TFC WAS NOT A FACTOR. SUFFICIENT HORIZ SEPARATION EXISTED. HOWEVER, TCASII WENT OFF ON THE JET. I WAS SHOCKED BECAUSE I HAD TFC IN SIGHT AND COULD NOT SEE CAUSE FOR CHANGING HDG. ATC HAD MY ALT XPONDER AND DID NOT ADVISE EITHER PLANE OF PROBS PRIOR TO TCASII GOING OFF. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TCASII SAFE ZONE IS AROUND THAT ACFT BUT I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED ATC TO VECTOR ME AROUND TFC, AND THEIR TCASII SAFE ZONES. THE ACFT Y TCASII SHOULD HAVE HAD ME AND MY ALT ON THEIR SCOPE LONG BEFORE THE ALARM WENT OFF. AGAIN IN CLR WX UNLIMITED VISIBILITY THERE WAS NO DANGER AND CLRLY NO NEED FOR EVASIVE ACTION ON ANYONE'S PART.

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.

IFR C172 with dab TRACON climbs above assigned altitude resulting in TCASII event with air carrier at 9000 ft.