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Flight crew of medium large transport had TCASII RA and descended to 10700 to clear the RA. TA of traffic at 11500.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 196660 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199112 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : den |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10700 msl bound upper : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : den |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 3900 |
| ASRS Report | 196660 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 1000 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
My aircraft level at 11000 ft MSL approaching den VOR from southeast. Approach control issued TA at our 12-1 O'clock position at 11500 ft MSL approximately 2-3 mi. Traffic was not visually sighted. Shortly thereafter the TCASII issued a TA followed by an RA, with a command to 'descend now.' I started an immediate descent, notified approach control of our action. Descended to 10700 ft MSL when RA resolved, climbed to 11000 MSL and continued approach uneventfully. I followed TCASII RA commands. RAPCON took exception to this action. There exists a conflict between what FAA has mandated as expected action to TCASII RA and what FAA controllers expect (would like) flcs to do (in this case, nothing). I was chastised for complying with a TCASII RA. He told me controller had a better assessment of situation than I did, and to deviate because of a TCASII RA in a TCA was putting myself/crew/passenger in jeopardy.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF MLG HAD TCASII RA AND DSNDED TO 10700 TO CLR THE RA. TA OF TFC AT 11500.
Narrative: MY ACFT LEVEL AT 11000 FT MSL APCHING DEN VOR FROM SE. APCH CTL ISSUED TA AT OUR 12-1 O'CLOCK POS AT 11500 FT MSL APPROX 2-3 MI. TFC WAS NOT VISUALLY SIGHTED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE TCASII ISSUED A TA FOLLOWED BY AN RA, WITH A COMMAND TO 'DSND NOW.' I STARTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT, NOTIFIED APCH CTL OF OUR ACTION. DSNDED TO 10700 FT MSL WHEN RA RESOLVED, CLBED TO 11000 MSL AND CONTINUED APCH UNEVENTFULLY. I FOLLOWED TCASII RA COMMANDS. RAPCON TOOK EXCEPTION TO THIS ACTION. THERE EXISTS A CONFLICT BTWN WHAT FAA HAS MANDATED AS EXPECTED ACTION TO TCASII RA AND WHAT FAA CTLRS EXPECT (WOULD LIKE) FLCS TO DO (IN THIS CASE, NOTHING). I WAS CHASTISED FOR COMPLYING WITH A TCASII RA. HE TOLD ME CTLR HAD A BETTER ASSESSMENT OF SITUATION THAN I DID, AND TO DEVIATE BECAUSE OF A TCASII RA IN A TCA WAS PUTTING MYSELF/CREW/PAX IN JEOPARDY.
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.