ATR-42 flight crew has a TCAS RA during approach to tupj.

Attributes
ACN	723053
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tupj.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 2600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 72
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : tupj.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	723053
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

We were cleared for the visual approach with tower; and instructed to fly over the airport and make a right downwind. Tower informed us traffic was taking off and said to advise them of right base. When turning right downwind over the field we advised tower that we were turning downwind and started our descent. A few seconds later tower asked our altitude and at that time we were at 2600 ft. They advised traffic would be off our left side. We had the other aircraft on TCAS and they proceeded to get close to us. Then the aircraft appeared to turn toward us more and we then picked them up visually. A few seconds later we received an RA telling us to climb. We complied with the RA and climbed. At the time tower started calling us to ask our altitude and if we had traffic in sight. I responded with that we received an RA and were climbing and advised our altitude we were passing through. They then stated for us to maintain 2800 ft again and turn south. After leveling off and turning south; the situation was resolved. The event occurred in night VMC at an ICAO operated airport (tupj). I am unsure of the other aircraft's call sign as no communications were made to them.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATR-42 FLT CREW HAS A TCAS RA DURING APCH TO TUPJ.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH WITH TWR; AND INSTRUCTED TO FLY OVER THE ARPT AND MAKE A R DOWNWIND. TWR INFORMED US TFC WAS TAKING OFF AND SAID TO ADVISE THEM OF R BASE. WHEN TURNING R DOWNWIND OVER THE FIELD WE ADVISED TWR THAT WE WERE TURNING DOWNWIND AND STARTED OUR DSCNT. A FEW SECONDS LATER TWR ASKED OUR ALT AND AT THAT TIME WE WERE AT 2600 FT. THEY ADVISED TFC WOULD BE OFF OUR L SIDE. WE HAD THE OTHER ACFT ON TCAS AND THEY PROCEEDED TO GET CLOSE TO US. THEN THE ACFT APPEARED TO TURN TOWARD US MORE AND WE THEN PICKED THEM UP VISUALLY. A FEW SECONDS LATER WE RECEIVED AN RA TELLING US TO CLB. WE COMPLIED WITH THE RA AND CLBED. AT THE TIME TWR STARTED CALLING US TO ASK OUR ALT AND IF WE HAD TFC IN SIGHT. I RESPONDED WITH THAT WE RECEIVED AN RA AND WERE CLBING AND ADVISED OUR ALT WE WERE PASSING THROUGH. THEY THEN STATED FOR US TO MAINTAIN 2800 FT AGAIN AND TURN S. AFTER LEVELING OFF AND TURNING S; THE SITUATION WAS RESOLVED. THE EVENT OCCURRED IN NIGHT VMC AT AN ICAO OPERATED ARPT (TUPJ). I AM UNSURE OF THE OTHER ACFT'S CALL SIGN AS NO COMS WERE MADE TO THEM.

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.