MD81 crew receives TCAS RA west of pie at FL350.

Attributes
ACN	734821
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zjx.artcc
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-81
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	734821
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Heavy ATC workload due to numerous aircraft being controled with ZMA not taking handoffs. During radar vectoring due to ZMA unable to take handoff from ZJX an RA from TCAS commanded a descent. We descended to FL340 and heard on the frequency an air carrier Y flight also had an RA which commanded a climb. When we queried ZJX as well as air carrier Y transmitting they had an RA. ZJX gave air carrier Y a clearance to descend to FL340 (opposite the RA command from their TCAS). Fortunately; air carrier Y followed their TCAS RA. This event occurred just off the coast from st petersburg; fl. Subsequent to this event and after being given a holding clearance at the pie VOR; we responded we couldn't hold due to insufficient fuel. We notified dispatch and agreed to divert to rsw along with a host of other flts due to ZMA delays into south florida due to WX. During the RA from our TCAS; we visually sighted the air carrier Y B757 in a pronounced nose-up attitude directly in our path. Onboard TCAS issued an RA. After hearing on the radio the event unfolding as well as visually sighting other aircraft we determined an event occurred. After conclusion of event we queried ATC to what took place. Extra vigilance on the part of ATC when operating/controling during periods of heavy traffic/high workload.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD81 CREW RECEIVES TCAS RA WEST OF PIE AT FL350.

Narrative: HVY ATC WORKLOAD DUE TO NUMEROUS ACFT BEING CTLED WITH ZMA NOT TAKING HDOFS. DURING RADAR VECTORING DUE TO ZMA UNABLE TO TAKE HDOF FROM ZJX AN RA FROM TCAS COMMANDED A DSCNT. WE DSNDED TO FL340 AND HEARD ON THE FREQ AN ACR Y FLT ALSO HAD AN RA WHICH COMMANDED A CLB. WHEN WE QUERIED ZJX AS WELL AS ACR Y XMITTING THEY HAD AN RA. ZJX GAVE ACR Y A CLRNC TO DSND TO FL340 (OPPOSITE THE RA COMMAND FROM THEIR TCAS). FORTUNATELY; ACR Y FOLLOWED THEIR TCAS RA. THIS EVENT OCCURRED JUST OFF THE COAST FROM ST PETERSBURG; FL. SUBSEQUENT TO THIS EVENT AND AFTER BEING GIVEN A HOLDING CLRNC AT THE PIE VOR; WE RESPONDED WE COULDN'T HOLD DUE TO INSUFFICIENT FUEL. WE NOTIFIED DISPATCH AND AGREED TO DIVERT TO RSW ALONG WITH A HOST OF OTHER FLTS DUE TO ZMA DELAYS INTO SOUTH FLORIDA DUE TO WX. DURING THE RA FROM OUR TCAS; WE VISUALLY SIGHTED THE ACR Y B757 IN A PRONOUNCED NOSE-UP ATTITUDE DIRECTLY IN OUR PATH. ONBOARD TCAS ISSUED AN RA. AFTER HEARING ON THE RADIO THE EVENT UNFOLDING AS WELL AS VISUALLY SIGHTING OTHER ACFT WE DETERMINED AN EVENT OCCURRED. AFTER CONCLUSION OF EVENT WE QUERIED ATC TO WHAT TOOK PLACE. EXTRA VIGILANCE ON THE PART OF ATC WHEN OPERATING/CTLING DURING PERIODS OF HVY TFC/HIGH WORKLOAD.

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.