Air carrier medium large transport non adherence to approach controller's vector during approach to dfw. Reporter says he was distracted by TCASII TA. TCAS did not command a climb, but the flight crew made an altitude excursion climb because they had trouble seeing the traffic altitude on the TCAS scope.

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Attributes
ACN	177334
Time
Date	199105
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3700
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4500
ASRS Report	177334
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were descending on approach for an ILS 36L to 3000' MSL. We were on a base leg and just about level when ATC gave instructions to turn left to 020 degrees and intercept. At the exact time they spoke, the TCAS warning sounded very loudly to monitor vertical speed. Because of the warning, I didn't hear the ATC instructions fully and was distracted by looking at the TCAS information. The TCAS warning did not instruct a climb (just no more descent), but because the warning repeated itself and the altitude of the intruder was difficult to determine due to glare on the TCAS scope, we decided to climb up to about 3700'. By this time ATC repeated their instructions to us (because we would have entered another approach path on our heading), and I informed them of what happened and we intercepted the ILS and proceeded on. Hopefully in the future I'll be more used to TCAS alerts, but for now they are very annoying and distracting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG NON ADHERENCE TO APCH CTLR'S VECTOR DURING APCH TO DFW. REPORTER SAYS HE WAS DISTRACTED BY TCASII TA. TCAS DID NOT COMMAND A CLIMB, BUT THE FLT CREW MADE AN ALT EXCURSION CLIMB BECAUSE THEY HAD TROUBLE SEEING THE TRAFFIC ALT ON THE TCAS SCOPE.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING ON APCH FOR AN ILS 36L TO 3000' MSL. WE WERE ON A BASE LEG AND JUST ABOUT LEVEL WHEN ATC GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN LEFT TO 020 DEGS AND INTERCEPT. AT THE EXACT TIME THEY SPOKE, THE TCAS WARNING SOUNDED VERY LOUDLY TO MONITOR VERT SPD. BECAUSE OF THE WARNING, I DIDN'T HEAR THE ATC INSTRUCTIONS FULLY AND WAS DISTRACTED BY LOOKING AT THE TCAS INFO. THE TCAS WARNING DID NOT INSTRUCT A CLB (JUST NO MORE DSNT), BUT BECAUSE THE WARNING REPEATED ITSELF AND THE ALT OF THE INTRUDER WAS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE DUE TO GLARE ON THE TCAS SCOPE, WE DECIDED TO CLB UP TO ABOUT 3700'. BY THIS TIME ATC REPEATED THEIR INSTRUCTIONS TO US (BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE ENTERED ANOTHER APCH PATH ON OUR HDG), AND I INFORMED THEM OF WHAT HAPPENED AND WE INTERCEPTED THE ILS AND PROCEEDED ON. HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE I'LL BE MORE USED TO TCAS ALERTS, BUT FOR NOW THEY ARE VERY ANNOYING AND DISTRACTING.

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.