Medium large transport obeys TCASII commands caused by mlt.

Attributes
ACN	198863
Time
Date	199201
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mlb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cof
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	198863
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
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 1200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While on approach control (patrick approach) we were asked if we had an air force mlt in sight. We said we did and they cleared us for the visual approach, landing to the west at melbourne. We were advised by approach control that the mlt was now turning to an eastbound heading. We still had them visually. While we were on an extended base (heading south) at 2700 ft TCASII issued an RA to climb. At 3000 ft TCASII said to resume normal altitude. Because we had the mlt in sight we thought there must have been a third aircraft. The captain notified approach control we had an RA and approach control responded it was on the mlt we had the visual on. Mlt passed below and slightly behind us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG OBEYS TCASII COMMANDS CAUSED BY MLT.

Narrative: WHILE ON APCH CTL (PATRICK APCH) WE WERE ASKED IF WE HAD AN AIR FORCE MLT IN SIGHT. WE SAID WE DID AND THEY CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH, LNDG TO THE W AT MELBOURNE. WE WERE ADVISED BY APCH CTL THAT THE MLT WAS NOW TURNING TO AN EBOUND HDG. WE STILL HAD THEM VISUALLY. WHILE WE WERE ON AN EXTENDED BASE (HDG S) AT 2700 FT TCASII ISSUED AN RA TO CLB. AT 3000 FT TCASII SAID TO RESUME NORMAL ALT. BECAUSE WE HAD THE MLT IN SIGHT WE THOUGHT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A THIRD ACFT. THE CAPT NOTIFIED APCH CTL WE HAD AN RA AND APCH CTL RESPONDED IT WAS ON THE MLT WE HAD THE VISUAL ON. MLT PASSED BELOW AND SLIGHTLY BEHIND US.

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.