CE650 flight crew reports TCAS RA with unknown aircraft just below an overcast layer at 2800 feet.

Attributes
ACN	779865
Time
Date	200803
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cws.airport
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl single value : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lit.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation V
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Beechcraft Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 8100 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	779865
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	vertical : 400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were descending via IFR clearance to the terminal area for cws. 5 mi south and level at 2800 ft; we experienced a TCAS alert for traffic; followed soon after with a warning to not descend; and then climb. The TCAS information showed traffic pop up at 400 ft at our 12 O'clock position and less than 1 mi away. At the same moment; ATC issued a warning of the same traffic and the controller stated that he was not in contact with this traffic. We climbed following the TCAS 200 ft and cleared the traffic. About 1-2 mins later; we heard an aircraft call ATC for an IFR clearance. Based upon my observation of the WX during this conflict; our traffic was either in the clouds without a clearance; or was less than 200 ft below the bases of the clouds. The WX conditions at the time of this conflict were overcast at 2800 ft to 2400 ft with bases scattered to broken and ragged. We could not have done anything different; and our equipment worked as designed. Our traffic could have gotten an IFR clearance on the ground before departing; or could have remained the minimum distance away from the cloud bases. My observation is that our traffic was operated in a very dangerous manner; and by a careless and reckless pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CE650 FLT CREW REPORTS TCAS RA WITH UNKNOWN ACFT JUST BELOW AN OVERCAST LAYER AT 2800 FEET.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING VIA IFR CLRNC TO THE TERMINAL AREA FOR CWS. 5 MI S AND LEVEL AT 2800 FT; WE EXPERIENCED A TCAS ALERT FOR TFC; FOLLOWED SOON AFTER WITH A WARNING TO NOT DSND; AND THEN CLB. THE TCAS INFO SHOWED TFC POP UP AT 400 FT AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS AND LESS THAN 1 MI AWAY. AT THE SAME MOMENT; ATC ISSUED A WARNING OF THE SAME TFC AND THE CTLR STATED THAT HE WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH THIS TFC. WE CLBED FOLLOWING THE TCAS 200 FT AND CLRED THE TFC. ABOUT 1-2 MINS LATER; WE HEARD AN ACFT CALL ATC FOR AN IFR CLRNC. BASED UPON MY OBSERVATION OF THE WX DURING THIS CONFLICT; OUR TFC WAS EITHER IN THE CLOUDS WITHOUT A CLRNC; OR WAS LESS THAN 200 FT BELOW THE BASES OF THE CLOUDS. THE WX CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THIS CONFLICT WERE OVCST AT 2800 FT TO 2400 FT WITH BASES SCATTERED TO BROKEN AND RAGGED. WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENT; AND OUR EQUIP WORKED AS DESIGNED. OUR TFC COULD HAVE GOTTEN AN IFR CLRNC ON THE GND BEFORE DEPARTING; OR COULD HAVE REMAINED THE MINIMUM DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE CLOUD BASES. MY OBSERVATION IS THAT OUR TFC WAS OPERATED IN A VERY DANGEROUS MANNER; AND BY A CARELESS AND RECKLESS PLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.