Narrative:

Our medium large transport has an original unmodified TCASII (volume very very loud). We received a TA, then ATC advised us of a single engine that had us in sight. Suddenly the TCASII screamed 'climb, climb'. I told approach control we were climbing for a TCASII RA as I climbed quickly to 7500 ft. It immediately concluded with a 'clear of conflict' and I descended right back to 7000 ft. I wouldn't normally believe this over reactive TCASII but we were looking into the sun and I didn't want to take a chance. Incidentally, we showed 2 red bogeys on the TCASII. This TCASII is mostly useless and possibly hazardous. The volume is unbelievably loud and will stop anything (even critical) that you may be doing. The approach into bur flies over van nuys airport at 3000 ft and 6 DME from burbank's runway on final approach. The TCASII is one continuous 'climb, climb' during approach and will not stop. This is despite the fact there are aircraft in their pattern at van nuys and we can see them. You folks should ride in the jump seat into burbank on a beautiful VFR day to see how many false alarms the TCASII gives. During critical phases of flight the deafening volume is hazardous with 99 percent false alarms we may tend to ignore something potentially helpful.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ALTDEV EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT IN RESPONSE TO TCASII RA.

Narrative: OUR MLG HAS AN ORIGINAL UNMODIFIED TCASII (VOLUME VERY VERY LOUD). WE RECEIVED A TA, THEN ATC ADVISED US OF A SINGLE ENG THAT HAD US IN SIGHT. SUDDENLY THE TCASII SCREAMED 'CLB, CLB'. I TOLD APCH CTL WE WERE CLBING FOR A TCASII RA AS I CLBED QUICKLY TO 7500 FT. IT IMMEDIATELY CONCLUDED WITH A 'CLR OF CONFLICT' AND I DSNDED RIGHT BACK TO 7000 FT. I WOULDN'T NORMALLY BELIEVE THIS OVER REACTIVE TCASII BUT WE WERE LOOKING INTO THE SUN AND I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE. INCIDENTALLY, WE SHOWED 2 RED BOGEYS ON THE TCASII. THIS TCASII IS MOSTLY USELESS AND POSSIBLY HAZARDOUS. THE VOLUME IS UNBELIEVABLY LOUD AND WILL STOP ANYTHING (EVEN CRITICAL) THAT YOU MAY BE DOING. THE APCH INTO BUR FLIES OVER VAN NUYS ARPT AT 3000 FT AND 6 DME FROM BURBANK'S RWY ON FINAL APCH. THE TCASII IS ONE CONTINUOUS 'CLB, CLB' DURING APCH AND WILL NOT STOP. THIS IS DESPITE THE FACT THERE ARE ACFT IN THEIR PATTERN AT VAN NUYS AND WE CAN SEE THEM. YOU FOLKS SHOULD RIDE IN THE JUMP SEAT INTO BURBANK ON A BEAUTIFUL VFR DAY TO SEE HOW MANY FALSE ALARMS THE TCASII GIVES. DURING CRITICAL PHASES OF FLT THE DEAFENING VOLUME IS HAZARDOUS WITH 99 PERCENT FALSE ALARMS WE MAY TEND TO IGNORE SOMETHING POTENTIALLY HELPFUL.

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.