Altitude deviation altitude excursion in an evasive action climb in pilot response to TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	201204
Time
Date	199202
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6200 msl bound upper : 6800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : hou
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 184 flight time total : 18138
ASRS Report	201204
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

While being radar vectored for a visual approach to runway 4 at hou. Approach control issued a descent from 7000 to 6000. Approximately 20 mi northeast of hou, hou approach issued a VFR TA, an small aircraft Y at 5500 eastbound. My aircraft was heading 190 degrees. Both the first officer, myself and a check airman on the jump seat who was giving me a line check could not get a visual contact with the VFR TA. Traffic appeared on the TCASII indicator at about 2 O'clock position. The traffic showed 500 ft below my aircraft. Several seconds later, I received a TCASII TA. As my aircraft was descending through 6200 MSL, I received a TCASII RA to 'climb. I cleared the area above my aircraft and climbed to 6800 ft MSL before receiving a 'clear of conflict' advisory from TCASII. At this time my first officer advised approach control that we had received a TCASII climb resolution and had climbed to 6800 MSL but were descending back to 6000 MSL. Hou approach then asked that I call them on the ground at hou. Upon calling hou approach on the ground. They advised me they would have to file an altitude pilot deviation report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION IN AN EVASIVE ACTION CLB IN PLT RESPONSE TO TCASII RA.

Narrative: WHILE BEING RADAR VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 4 AT HOU. APCH CTL ISSUED A DSCNT FROM 7000 TO 6000. APPROX 20 MI NE OF HOU, HOU APCH ISSUED A VFR TA, AN SMA Y AT 5500 EBOUND. MY ACFT WAS HDG 190 DEGS. BOTH THE FO, MYSELF AND A CHK AIRMAN ON THE JUMP SEAT WHO WAS GIVING ME A LINE CHK COULD NOT GET A VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE VFR TA. TFC APPEARED ON THE TCASII INDICATOR AT ABOUT 2 O'CLOCK POS. THE TFC SHOWED 500 FT BELOW MY ACFT. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER, I RECEIVED A TCASII TA. AS MY ACFT WAS DSNDING THROUGH 6200 MSL, I RECEIVED A TCASII RA TO 'CLB. I CLRED THE AREA ABOVE MY ACFT AND CLBED TO 6800 FT MSL BEFORE RECEIVING A 'CLR OF CONFLICT' ADVISORY FROM TCASII. AT THIS TIME MY FO ADVISED APCH CTL THAT WE HAD RECEIVED A TCASII CLB RESOLUTION AND HAD CLBED TO 6800 MSL BUT WERE DSNDING BACK TO 6000 MSL. HOU APCH THEN ASKED THAT I CALL THEM ON THE GND AT HOU. UPON CALLING HOU APCH ON THE GND. THEY ADVISED ME THEY WOULD HAVE TO FILE AN ALT PLTDEV 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.