Narrative:

During the arrival; I had pre-briefed the first officer about TCAS RA's occurring at den. As we turned base from the east; I could see a possible RA coming both on the TCAS and out the window. Another carrier was coming in from the west. It was also on base high and slightly to the north of our position. I told the first officer we stood a good chance to get an RA and that I would execute the maneuver if we got one. The other carrier was established on visual final to runway 16R before we were. I angled in from the east; rather than intercepting final too far out. As we rolled out on final; the other carrier was about 4 O'clock position; about 1000 ft higher than we were and was descending. We were still level because we hadn't yet reached our GS and continued to observe the other carrier's altitude approach ours. Shortly after starting down on our ILS GS; we got an RA that directed us to 'descend.' I immediately followed the steering command directed by the hgs and set an appropriate descent rate. The RA went away within 10 seconds. I notified tower we had an RA and re-established GS. We hadn't gone 1/2 DOT below it and continued the approach. Tower wanted to know our intentions and I said we would continue. We landed without further incident. I am glad I got to see this in person; after hearing so much about it. One question I have is; should we consider going to TA for approachs such as these? We do for engine out approachs and prm's. Get with manufacturer and show them what is happening. Include our GPS warnings as well. I believe they may be able to tweak their software to make it less sensitive in cases such as these. TCAS RA on visual final.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 FLT CREW REPORTS TCAS RA ON AN ILS APPROACH TO RWY 16L AT DEN WITH ACFT ON VISUAL TO 16R.

Narrative: DURING THE ARR; I HAD PRE-BRIEFED THE FO ABOUT TCAS RA'S OCCURRING AT DEN. AS WE TURNED BASE FROM THE E; I COULD SEE A POSSIBLE RA COMING BOTH ON THE TCAS AND OUT THE WINDOW. ANOTHER CARRIER WAS COMING IN FROM THE W. IT WAS ALSO ON BASE HIGH AND SLIGHTLY TO THE N OF OUR POS. I TOLD THE FO WE STOOD A GOOD CHANCE TO GET AN RA AND THAT I WOULD EXECUTE THE MANEUVER IF WE GOT ONE. THE OTHER CARRIER WAS ESTABLISHED ON VISUAL FINAL TO RWY 16R BEFORE WE WERE. I ANGLED IN FROM THE E; RATHER THAN INTERCEPTING FINAL TOO FAR OUT. AS WE ROLLED OUT ON FINAL; THE OTHER CARRIER WAS ABOUT 4 O'CLOCK POS; ABOUT 1000 FT HIGHER THAN WE WERE AND WAS DSNDING. WE WERE STILL LEVEL BECAUSE WE HADN'T YET REACHED OUR GS AND CONTINUED TO OBSERVE THE OTHER CARRIER'S ALT APCH OURS. SHORTLY AFTER STARTING DOWN ON OUR ILS GS; WE GOT AN RA THAT DIRECTED US TO 'DSND.' I IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED THE STEERING COMMAND DIRECTED BY THE HGS AND SET AN APPROPRIATE DSCNT RATE. THE RA WENT AWAY WITHIN 10 SECONDS. I NOTIFIED TWR WE HAD AN RA AND RE-ESTABLISHED GS. WE HADN'T GONE 1/2 DOT BELOW IT AND CONTINUED THE APCH. TWR WANTED TO KNOW OUR INTENTIONS AND I SAID WE WOULD CONTINUE. WE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I AM GLAD I GOT TO SEE THIS IN PERSON; AFTER HEARING SO MUCH ABOUT IT. ONE QUESTION I HAVE IS; SHOULD WE CONSIDER GOING TO TA FOR APCHS SUCH AS THESE? WE DO FOR ENG OUT APCHS AND PRM'S. GET WITH MANUFACTURER AND SHOW THEM WHAT IS HAPPENING. INCLUDE OUR GPS WARNINGS AS WELL. I BELIEVE THEY MAY BE ABLE TO TWEAK THEIR SOFTWARE TO MAKE IT LESS SENSITIVE IN CASES SUCH AS THESE. TCAS RA ON VISUAL FINAL.

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.