 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Air carrier receives TCASII RA on aircraft below. Controller questions usefulness of TCASII at low altitudes.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 200269 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199201 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : iah |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : iah |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 200269 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I was vectoring an air carrier X for the ILS runway 8 at iah. This was the only aircraft on frequency. Air carrier X was heading 030 degree and descending out of 3500 ft for 3000 ft in the houston, TCA. The pilot advised me that he was receiving a RA on his TCASII instructing him to climb. The only traffic observed in his immediate vicinity was an untracked VFR target that was indicating 500 ft. (About 1 O'clock 1/2 mi). This aircraft was apparently operating VFR below the floor of the TCA. He was indicating 3000 ft below air carrier X yet air carrier X received an RA. Had I been busy conducting parallel approachs to runways 8 and 9 this could have been a problem. I'm not convinced that TCASII is contributing to safety but only contributing to the problem. This is the third incident I've seen with TCASII and all 3 were false alarms. This is why I felt compelled to file this report.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR RECEIVES TCASII RA ON ACFT BELOW. CTLR QUESTIONS USEFULNESS OF TCASII AT LOW ALTS.
Narrative: I WAS VECTORING AN ACR X FOR THE ILS RWY 8 AT IAH. THIS WAS THE ONLY ACFT ON FREQ. ACR X WAS HDG 030 DEG AND DSNDING OUT OF 3500 FT FOR 3000 FT IN THE HOUSTON, TCA. THE PLT ADVISED ME THAT HE WAS RECEIVING A RA ON HIS TCASII INSTRUCTING HIM TO CLB. THE ONLY TFC OBSERVED IN HIS IMMEDIATE VICINITY WAS AN UNTRACKED VFR TARGET THAT WAS INDICATING 500 FT. (ABOUT 1 O'CLOCK 1/2 MI). THIS ACFT WAS APPARENTLY OPERATING VFR BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE TCA. HE WAS INDICATING 3000 FT BELOW ACR X YET ACR X RECEIVED AN RA. HAD I BEEN BUSY CONDUCTING PARALLEL APCHS TO RWYS 8 AND 9 THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM. I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT TCASII IS CONTRIBUTING TO SAFETY BUT ONLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM. THIS IS THE THIRD INCIDENT I'VE SEEN WITH TCASII AND ALL 3 WERE FALSE ALARMS. THIS IS WHY I FELT COMPELLED TO FILE THIS RPT.
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.