Narrative:

We were on the acton one arrival at 11000'. TCAS was on in the TA/RA mode with 20 NM range. We had received several T/as ('traffic, traffic') since we had xed acton VOR northeast on the 040 degree right. At about 25 DME, approach called and issued traffic at one O'clock and 5 mi climbing to 10000'. We called him in sight and also saw him climbing on TCAS. At about 27 or 28 DME, the copilot, who was flying asked for slats in order to be at 210 KTS at creek intersection. As I extended slats with my hand still on the flap/slat handle we received an RA (resolution alert) 'climb, climb' with green lights on vsi beginning at 700 FPM climb. We initiated climb immediately and advised ATC we had received an RA and we were leaving 11000' climbing. ATC acknowledged our deviation. We climbed to 11400' then we received a 'monitor vertical speed' aural alert followed by a 'clear of conflict' advisory. We told ATC we were descending back to our assigned altitude of 11000'. As we xed creek intersection the controller gave us a descent to 6000' and a frequency change. After we acknowledged this another controller's voice said 'before you change frequencys, why did you deviate from your altitude?' I explained we had to comply. He then asked if we had received their traffic call prior to our deviation. I answered yes. He then said 'you guys are going to have to believe us and not what TCAS is telling you.' I asked him if he would like me to phone him when we got to the gate and he said 'no'. I phoned anyway. We had a brief discussion about the incident and TCAS. We both have filed the appropriate paperwork. Personally I feel TCAS should not be used until ATC and the airlines have a better working agreement that will make TCAS an asset to ATC and not a contradiction. From a pilot's viewpoint, TCAS keeps your head in the cockpit especially in a high density traffic ara and high workload environment such as a TCA when you should be looking outside as much as possible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG LEVELING AT 11000' RECEIVED TCAS II RA CLIMB. CLIMBED TO 11400' CLEARED THE RESOLUTION AND RETURNED TO 11000'. ADVISED APCH CTLR.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE ACTON ONE ARR AT 11000'. TCAS WAS ON IN THE TA/RA MODE WITH 20 NM RANGE. WE HAD RECEIVED SEVERAL T/AS ('TFC, TFC') SINCE WE HAD XED ACTON VOR NE ON THE 040 DEG R. AT ABOUT 25 DME, APCH CALLED AND ISSUED TFC AT ONE O'CLOCK AND 5 MI CLBING TO 10000'. WE CALLED HIM IN SIGHT AND ALSO SAW HIM CLBING ON TCAS. AT ABOUT 27 OR 28 DME, THE COPLT, WHO WAS FLYING ASKED FOR SLATS IN ORDER TO BE AT 210 KTS AT CREEK INTXN. AS I EXTENDED SLATS WITH MY HAND STILL ON THE FLAP/SLAT HANDLE WE RECEIVED AN RA (RESOLUTION ALERT) 'CLB, CLB' WITH GREEN LIGHTS ON VSI BEGINNING AT 700 FPM CLB. WE INITIATED CLB IMMEDIATELY AND ADVISED ATC WE HAD RECEIVED AN RA AND WE WERE LEAVING 11000' CLBING. ATC ACKNOWLEDGED OUR DEV. WE CLBED TO 11400' THEN WE RECEIVED A 'MONITOR VERT SPD' AURAL ALERT FOLLOWED BY A 'CLR OF CONFLICT' ADVISORY. WE TOLD ATC WE WERE DSNDING BACK TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT OF 11000'. AS WE XED CREEK INTXN THE CTLR GAVE US A DSNT TO 6000' AND A FREQ CHANGE. AFTER WE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ANOTHER CTLR'S VOICE SAID 'BEFORE YOU CHANGE FREQS, WHY DID YOU DEVIATE FROM YOUR ALT?' I EXPLAINED WE HAD TO COMPLY. HE THEN ASKED IF WE HAD RECEIVED THEIR TFC CALL PRIOR TO OUR DEV. I ANSWERED YES. HE THEN SAID 'YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BELIEVE US AND NOT WHAT TCAS IS TELLING YOU.' I ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD LIKE ME TO PHONE HIM WHEN WE GOT TO THE GATE AND HE SAID 'NO'. I PHONED ANYWAY. WE HAD A BRIEF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND TCAS. WE BOTH HAVE FILED THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK. PERSONALLY I FEEL TCAS SHOULD NOT BE USED UNTIL ATC AND THE AIRLINES HAVE A BETTER WORKING AGREEMENT THAT WILL MAKE TCAS AN ASSET TO ATC AND NOT A CONTRADICTION. FROM A PLT'S VIEWPOINT, TCAS KEEPS YOUR HEAD IN THE COCKPIT ESPECIALLY IN A HIGH DENSITY TFC ARA AND HIGH WORKLOAD ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS A TCA WHEN YOU SHOULD BE LOOKING OUTSIDE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

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.