Air carrier X TCASII equipment failed to display cpr Y as traffic.

Attributes
ACN	208450
Time
Date	199204
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iso
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 24
ASRS Report	208450
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 78000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier X was being held down because of traffic he was overtaking (cpr Y) at FL190. I saw from the strip that air carrier X was TCASII equipped so I called traffic as an explanation as to why he wasn't getting higher right away. Air carrier X said he couldn't see the traffic on his TCASII (12 O'clock and 15 mi). I asked what range he had it on and he replied 30 mi. I called traffic again at 13 mi. Air carrier X said he finally saw the traffic only after he pushed the 'activate' button twice. As air carrier X was turned and the traffic moved to air carrier X's 2 O'clock position and same altitude (I had climbed air carrier X), air carrier X lost target on TCASII again. Bottom of air carrier X would have been toward target.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII EQUIP FAILED TO DISPLAY CPR Y AS TFC.

Narrative: ACR X WAS BEING HELD DOWN BECAUSE OF TFC HE WAS OVERTAKING (CPR Y) AT FL190. I SAW FROM THE STRIP THAT ACR X WAS TCASII EQUIPPED SO I CALLED TFC AS AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY HE WASN'T GETTING HIGHER RIGHT AWAY. ACR X SAID HE COULDN'T SEE THE TFC ON HIS TCASII (12 O'CLOCK AND 15 MI). I ASKED WHAT RANGE HE HAD IT ON AND HE REPLIED 30 MI. I CALLED TFC AGAIN AT 13 MI. ACR X SAID HE FINALLY SAW THE TFC ONLY AFTER HE PUSHED THE 'ACTIVATE' BUTTON TWICE. AS ACR X WAS TURNED AND THE TFC MOVED TO ACR X'S 2 O'CLOCK POS AND SAME ALT (I HAD CLBED ACR X), ACR X LOST TARGET ON TCASII AGAIN. BOTTOM OF ACR X WOULD HAVE BEEN TOWARD TARGET.

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.