B737-8 flight crew has a TCAS RA during departure from dca.

Attributes
ACN	715906
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl single value : 1400
Environment
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	715906
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	715907
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

WX in the area: broken 015; overcast 021; 8 mi; altimeter 29.25. First officer flying. Departed runway 19. Departure clearance was to intercept the dca 185 degree radial and climb to 5000 ft. Tower cleared us for an immediate takeoff which we complied with. Climbing through approximately 1200 ft went IMC. Approximately 1400 ft received a TA from TCAS; followed shortly thereafter with a monitor vertical speed which was immediately followed by a descend command. At the same time the tower issued us a stop climb command and turn to a 140 degree heading. We were already complying with the RA issued by TCAS at 1800 ft and now complying with the left turn given by the tower. According to TCAS; the aircraft that was the conflict was also at 1800 ft. As we descended below 1800 ft complying still with the RA; tower issued a right turn to a 270 degree heading to intercept the 185 degree radial. A few seconds later we received a clear of conflict command from the TCAS. At about the same time tower issued a climb to 5000 ft and then another vector to a 140 degree heading and a change to departure frequency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-8 FLT CREW HAS A TCAS RA DURING DEP FROM DCA.

Narrative: WX IN THE AREA: BROKEN 015; OVCST 021; 8 MI; ALTIMETER 29.25. FO FLYING. DEPARTED RWY 19. DEP CLRNC WAS TO INTERCEPT THE DCA 185 DEG RADIAL AND CLB TO 5000 FT. TWR CLRED US FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH. CLBING THROUGH APPROX 1200 FT WENT IMC. APPROX 1400 FT RECEIVED A TA FROM TCAS; FOLLOWED SHORTLY THEREAFTER WITH A MONITOR VERT SPD WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A DSND COMMAND. AT THE SAME TIME THE TWR ISSUED US A STOP CLB COMMAND AND TURN TO A 140 DEG HDG. WE WERE ALREADY COMPLYING WITH THE RA ISSUED BY TCAS AT 1800 FT AND NOW COMPLYING WITH THE L TURN GIVEN BY THE TWR. ACCORDING TO TCAS; THE ACFT THAT WAS THE CONFLICT WAS ALSO AT 1800 FT. AS WE DSNDED BELOW 1800 FT COMPLYING STILL WITH THE RA; TWR ISSUED A R TURN TO A 270 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE 185 DEG RADIAL. A FEW SECONDS LATER WE RECEIVED A CLR OF CONFLICT COMMAND FROM THE TCAS. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME TWR ISSUED A CLB TO 5000 FT AND THEN ANOTHER VECTOR TO A 140 DEG HDG AND A CHANGE TO DEP FREQ.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.