B757 flight crew responded to a TCASII RA conflict with a Beechcraft commuter airline that had been directed to maintain visual separation.
Synopsis
B757 flight crew responded to a TCASII RA conflict with a Beechcraft commuter airline that had been directed to maintain visual separation.
Narrative
Rewritten in plain English from NASA’s original all-caps telegraphic report — facts, figures, and terminology preserved.
Heading 360 degrees on departure. Fort Myers departure control called traffic (Beechcraft commuter) at 2 o'clock and 10000 feet. We called traffic in sight and painted on TCASII at approximately 3 miles. Departure control then cleared us to maintain visual separation and to climb and maintain 10000 feet.
We accepted the clearance without knowing we were converging on the conflict traffic. Immediately after beginning the climb, we received a TCASII RA directing us to descend. It was apparent that we could not continue the climb. I disconnected the autopilot and autothrottles, pulled the power to idle, began a 30 degree right turn, and leveled at 9700 feet MSL before being able to descend.
We passed approximately 1 1/2 - 2 miles behind and 300-500 feet below the traffic after the turn. If we had known we were converging on the Beechcraft (I estimate 30 degrees convergence angle), I would not have accepted the VFR climb. On the other hand, I believe it was ill advised for ATC to issue the visual climb with reference to nearby converging traffic for a 1000 feet climb and perhaps at 350 knots closure rate.
Show the original NASA report (verbatim, telegraphic)
HDG 360 DEGS ON DEP. FT MYERS DEP CTL CALLED TFC (BEECHCRAFT COMMUTER) AT 2 O'CLOCK AND 10000 FT. WE CALLED TFC IN SIGHT AND PAINTED ON TCASII AT APPROX 3 MI. DEP CTL THEN CLRED US TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION AND TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 10000 FT. WE ACCEPTED THE CLRNC WITHOUT KNOWING WE WERE CONVERGING ON THE CONFLICT TFC. IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEGINNING THE CLB; WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA DIRECTING US TO DSND. IT WAS APPARENT THAT WE COULD NOT CONTINUE THE CLB. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES; PULLED THE PWR TO IDLE; BEGAN A 30 DEG R TURN; AND LEVELED AT 9700 FT MSL BEFORE BEING ABLE TO DSND. WE PASSED APPROX 1 1/2 - 2 MI BEHIND AND 300-500 FT BELOW THE TFC AFTER THE TURN. IF WE HAD KNOWN WE WERE CONVERGING ON THE BEECHCRAFT (I ESTIMATE 30 DEGS CONVERGENCE ANGLE); I WOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THE VFR CLB. ON THE OTHER HAND; I BELIEVE IT WAS ILL ADVISED FOR ATC TO ISSUE THE VISUAL CLB WITH REF TO NEARBY CONVERGING TFC FOR A 1000 FT CLB AND PERHAPS AT 350 KT CLOSURE RATE.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.