WDB ACR ON CLBOUT HAS NMAC WITH SECOND WDB.

Date: 1992-09 · Aircraft: Widebody; Low Wing; 4 Turbojet Eng · Phase: climb

Anomalies: conflict-nmac|other-unspecified

Synopsis

WDB ACR ON CLBOUT HAS NMAC WITH SECOND WDB.

Narrative

THIS INCIDENT HAS CREATED AT LEAST 3 BELIEVERS IN THE TCASII SYS. WITHOUT THE ADVANCED WARNING PROVIDED BY TCASII; I DOUBT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT REACTION TIME TO AVOID A SERIOUS TFC CONFLICT. OUR ACFT; A HVY WDB; WAS CLBING AS FILED TO 10000 M (METERS) OR 32800 FT ON A-593 AFTER TKOF FROM PEK. OPERATING IN CTLED AIRSPACE; IN CONTACT WITH BEIJING APCH; WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 29600 FT 10 NM N OF PM LOCATOR BEACON. AT THIS TIME; XA53Z; WE RECEIVED A YELLOW TA AT 1130; MINUS 100 FT OUT OF RANGE AHEAD. ALL PLTS SEARCHED FOR TFC AHEAD IN THE HAZE. 10-15 SECONDS AFTER THE TA; TCASII ISSUED A RA TO CLB 1500 FPM. FO WAS FLYING; DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND PITCHED UP TO DIRECTED RATE OF CLB. AT THIS POINT THE SO SPOTTED TFC 12 O'CLOCK SAME ALT CALLED FOR L HAND TURN; FO TURNED L 20 DEG IN CLB. THE TFC PASSED BELOW TO R WITH LESS THAN 500 FT VERT AND (OPPOSITE DIRECTION LEVEL FLT) 1/2 MI SEPARATION. NOTIFIED ATC AND PROCEEDED ON COURSE. AS I STATED BEFORE; I BELIEVE THE TCASII SYS PREVENTED A MAJOR INCIDENT. BEIJING ATC SHOWED NO SURPRISE OR CONCERN OVER THIS EVENT; NOR AM I CERTAIN THE OTHER ACFT WAS AWARE OF THE CONFLICT. I BELIEVE THERE WERE MANY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS -- PM LOCATOR IS THE TRANSFER POINT BTWN BEIJING ATC AND JINAN CTL; MOST LIKELY THE 2 ACFT WERE WITH SEPARATE CTLRS. LCL TFC IN THE PROC SPEAKS CHINESE ON CTR FREQ MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW OTHER TFC IN AREA. THE CONFLICT WAS WITH A LCL ACFT. 29600 FT CORRESPONDS TO 9000 METERS; THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FL ON A-593. HAZY FLT CONDITIONS PRECLUDED EARLY PLT VISUAL WITH TFC. IN RETROSPECT; THE MUCH HELD BELIEF ON THE LINE THAT PROC ATC CANNOT BE RELIED ON FOR SEPARATION WAS UPHELD. THIS CONFLICT OCCURRED RIGHT WHERE IT COULD BE MOST EXPECTED; ON THE AIRWAY; PASSING THROUGH A PUBLISHED CRUISE FL. THE TCASII PROVIDED THE CREW WITH BETTER EYES AND MORE REACTION TIME AND IN THIS CASE MAY HAVE SAVED LIVES. NO TIME SHOULD BE WASTED OUTFITTING ALL FLEETS WITH TCASII.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.