Narrative:

At 5000 ft on downwind leg at clt (north of field) received a TCASII RA to descend at greater than 2000 FPM just as approach controller gave us a turn to the right. We descended and advised ATC at once we were going down due to the TCASII RA. Controller said there was traffic circling in the area. Since we didn't see the traffic and were given an RA we had no choice but to comply. At about 4300 ft TCASII instructed 'monitor vertical speed' followed by 'clear of conflict' at 4000 ft. We advised ATC we were level at 4000 ft. If the controller knew he had traffic that close to us and possibly planned to turn us inside of him then by giving us the information he might have allowed us to spot the traffic visually and not have to rapidly descend since we were turning away from the conflict.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION UPON ALARM FROM TCASII RA.

Narrative: AT 5000 FT ON DOWNWIND LEG AT CLT (N OF FIELD) RECEIVED A TCASII RA TO DSND AT GREATER THAN 2000 FPM JUST AS APCH CTLR GAVE US A TURN TO THE R. WE DSNDED AND ADVISED ATC AT ONCE WE WERE GOING DOWN DUE TO THE TCASII RA. CTLR SAID THERE WAS TFC CIRCLING IN THE AREA. SINCE WE DIDN'T SEE THE TFC AND WERE GIVEN AN RA WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO COMPLY. AT ABOUT 4300 FT TCASII INSTRUCTED 'MONITOR VERT SPD' FOLLOWED BY 'CLR OF CONFLICT' AT 4000 FT. WE ADVISED ATC WE WERE LEVEL AT 4000 FT. IF THE CTLR KNEW HE HAD TFC THAT CLOSE TO US AND POSSIBLY PLANNED TO TURN US INSIDE OF HIM THEN BY GIVING US THE INFO HE MIGHT HAVE ALLOWED US TO SPOT THE TFC VISUALLY AND NOT HAVE TO RAPIDLY DSND SINCE WE WERE TURNING AWAY FROM THE CONFLICT.

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.