TCAS ii alert. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	167696
Time
Date	199101
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gso
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27500 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	167695
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

An air carrier in the positive control area at FL290 climbed to FL301 in response to a TCAS alert. The other aircraft was as FL275 climbing to FL280 laterally sep by 2-3 mi. The climb was started as the flight crew notified the controller. The traffic was not called to the aircraft until after the climb was started. There was no need to do so since merging target procedures were not in effect. Although sep was not lost with any other aircraft, I believe that as TCAS becomes more prevalent, these situations will become more common place. To prevent this, I feel that TCAS traffic alerts should be brought to the attention of the controller if at all possible prior to a resolution alert activating. This should be especially true in the positive control area. It is ludicrous to expect controllers to be able to provide safe orderly control over aircraft that are free to change altitude at the pilots whim. TCAS has a place in the terminal areas and when VFR aircraft are present. It should not be used indiscriminately in positive control airspace. I am a controller, not a referee.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCAS II ALERT.

Narrative: AN AIR CARRIER IN THE PCA AT FL290 CLBED TO FL301 IN RESPONSE TO A TCAS ALERT. THE OTHER ACFT WAS AS FL275 CLBING TO FL280 LATERALLY SEP BY 2-3 MI. THE CLB WAS STARTED AS THE FLT CREW NOTIFIED THE CTLR. THE TFC WAS NOT CALLED TO THE ACFT UNTIL AFTER THE CLB WAS STARTED. THERE WAS NO NEED TO DO SO SINCE MERGING TARGET PROCS WERE NOT IN EFFECT. ALTHOUGH SEP WAS NOT LOST WITH ANY OTHER ACFT, I BELIEVE THAT AS TCAS BECOMES MORE PREVALENT, THESE SITUATIONS WILL BECOME MORE COMMON PLACE. TO PREVENT THIS, I FEEL THAT TCAS TFC ALERTS SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTN OF THE CTLR IF AT ALL POSSIBLE PRIOR TO A RESOLUTION ALERT ACTIVATING. THIS SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY TRUE IN THE PCA. IT IS LUDICROUS TO EXPECT CTLRS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SAFE ORDERLY CTL OVER ACFT THAT ARE FREE TO CHANGE ALT AT THE PLTS WHIM. TCAS HAS A PLACE IN THE TERMINAL AREAS AND WHEN VFR ACFT ARE PRESENT. IT SHOULD NOT BE USED INDISCRIMINATELY IN POSITIVE CTL AIRSPACE. I AM A CTLR, NOT A REFEREE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.