MD88 RECEIVED TCASII RA WITH AN SF340 NEAR PVD.

Narrative

ON CLBOUT FROM PVD WHILE LEVEL AT 8000 FT; WE RECEIVED A TA FROM ATC. WE SAW THE SAAB 340 AT 10000 FT AND RPTED TFC IN SIGHT. ATC THEN GAVE US A CLB CLRNC TO 10000 FT TO VISUALLY REMAIN CLR OF TFC. THE TFC WAS GIVEN A DSCNT TO 9000 FT. WE BEGAN A CLB BUT QUICKLY REALIZED THE TFC WAS ON A DIRECT INTERCEPT COURSE WITH OUR ACFT. I SHALLOWED OUT THE CLB BUT SOON RECEIVED A TA FOLLOWED BY AN RA TO DSND FROM OUR TCASII. I FOLLOWED THE TCASII INSTRUCTIONS AND DSNDED BACK TO 8000 FT. WHILE TAKING THIS ACTION; THE ACFT ACCELERATED TO 280 KIAS; WHICH I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED BACK TO 250 KTS. WE INSTRUCTED ATC THAT WE HAD DSNDED BACK TO 8000 FT. ATC SAID 'FINE' AND TO CLB TO 10000 FT WHEN ABLE. TFC CLRED AND WE PROCEEDED TO CLB AND THE REST OF TRIP WAS NORMAL. I BELIEVE THAT VFR CLBS AT NIGHT TO CLR TFC IS NOT A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE ANGLES OF INTERCEPT WITH YOUR ACFT ARE MUCH HARDER TO JUDGE. RELATIVE VELOCITY IS ALSO HARD TO JUDGE. MY FAITH IN TCASII GROWS WITH EVERY INCIDENT LIKE THIS. TCASII IS A GREAT SYS.