MLG HAS TCASII RA WHICH; IF FOLLOWED; WOULD PUT THEM IN THE PATH OF CLBING TFC.

Date: 1993-03 · Aircraft: Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng · Phase: climb

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|other-unspecified

Synopsis

MLG HAS TCASII RA WHICH; IF FOLLOWED; WOULD PUT THEM IN THE PATH OF CLBING TFC.

Narrative

WE WERE CLRED TO FL330. THERE WAS TFC DISPLAYED LEVEL AT FL230. ATC ADVISED HIM THAT HE WOULD GET HIGHER; REF US. AS WE CLBED THROUGH FL250; CTR CLRED THE TFC FROM FL230 TO CLB TO FL240. HIS RAPID CLB FROM FL230 TO FL240 CAUSED OUR TCASII TO PROVIDE AN RA COMMANDING A 1000-2000 FPM DSCNT. THE RA REMAINED UNTIL THE TFC PASSED BENEATH US; AND OFF OUR L SIDE. IF WE HAD COMPLIED WITH THE RA; WE WOULD HAVE DSNDED INTO THE CONFLICTING TFC; RATHER THAN AWAY FROM THE INTRUDER. FORTUNATELY; WE RECOGNIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING; AND DID NOT FOLLOW THE TCASII RA COMMAND. THERE WOULD SEEM TO BE MARGINAL BENEFIT FOR THE TFC TO CLB 1000 FT CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN CLR (AND WAS CLR) OF US WITHIN A MIN OR 2. IF THE CTLR HAD WAITED UNTIL WE WERE DIVERGING; THE RA WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT; IF WE HAD NOT SEEN THE TCASII SCREEN AND FIGURED OUT WHAT THE PROB WAS; THE TCASII WOULD HAVE REDUCED THE SEPARATION RATHER THAN ENHANCED. WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE HAD GOOD WX; AND HAPPENED TO HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE TCASII. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A BAD SIT IF WE WERE IMC AND HAD FOLLOWED THE RA.

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