Light transport commuter has TCASII RA. Responds after notifying ATC. False target.

Attributes
ACN	206186
Time
Date	199203
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hto
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21000 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	206186
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During a scheduled flight from bwi to bos, we were at FL210. It was the captain's leg. ATC called traffic 11-12 O'clock at FL240 descending to FL220. We picked up the target on TCASII but not visually. It was hazy at our altitude. Then a target appeared on TCASII at FL210 at 12 O'clock. This was followed by an RA instructing us to climb. Indicating a rate of ascent of 3000 FPM. We immediately told ATC of our situation and the TCASII alert, then began a climb. The traffic at 12 O'clock that indicated FL240 was passing off our left. We still had a good signal from him. ATC also stopped that aircraft from descending. The traffic that gave us the RA cleared us. ATC never painted him. They told us that they would file a TCASII report. It should not affect us. My belief is that the TCASII program should be refined and tested more before forcing the crews to respond. In this situation more likely than not it was a ghost target. ATC never painted him neither crew member had a visual or have better more defined guidelines on situations like this. I cannot afford to have my license suspended over a 'glitch' with the system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT COMMUTER HAS TCASII RA. RESPONDS AFTER NOTIFYING ATC. FALSE TARGET.

Narrative: DURING A SCHEDULED FLT FROM BWI TO BOS, WE WERE AT FL210. IT WAS THE CAPT'S LEG. ATC CALLED TFC 11-12 O'CLOCK AT FL240 DSNDING TO FL220. WE PICKED UP THE TARGET ON TCASII BUT NOT VISUALLY. IT WAS HAZY AT OUR ALT. THEN A TARGET APPEARED ON TCASII AT FL210 AT 12 O'CLOCK. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY AN RA INSTRUCTING US TO CLB. INDICATING A RATE OF ASCENT OF 3000 FPM. WE IMMEDIATELY TOLD ATC OF OUR SITUATION AND THE TCASII ALERT, THEN BEGAN A CLB. THE TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK THAT INDICATED FL240 WAS PASSING OFF OUR L. WE STILL HAD A GOOD SIGNAL FROM HIM. ATC ALSO STOPPED THAT ACFT FROM DSNDING. THE TFC THAT GAVE US THE RA CLRED US. ATC NEVER PAINTED HIM. THEY TOLD US THAT THEY WOULD FILE A TCASII RPT. IT SHOULD NOT AFFECT US. MY BELIEF IS THAT THE TCASII PROGRAM SHOULD BE REFINED AND TESTED MORE BEFORE FORCING THE CREWS TO RESPOND. IN THIS SITUATION MORE LIKELY THAN NOT IT WAS A GHOST TARGET. ATC NEVER PAINTED HIM NEITHER CREW MEMBER HAD A VISUAL OR HAVE BETTER MORE DEFINED GUIDELINES ON SITUATIONS LIKE THIS. I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE MY LICENSE SUSPENDED OVER A 'GLITCH' WITH THE SYS.

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.