Narrative:

On the final en route phase to smf from san, we received a TCASII TA at an altitude of 11000 ft in cruise. The traffic showed up at about 5 mi north of our location and showed 300 ft below. At about 3 mi north we received a TCASII RA. The TCASII resolution showed that we should climb at about 1200 FPM to resolve the situation. I climbed at about 1300 FPM to about 11700 ft until we were a couple of mi past the traffic, then descended to 11000 ft. Approach said they did not have traffic in that area. We never located the traffic that TCASII showed as we were approximately 10 mi south of sac VOR on the STAR when the TCASII notified us of the traffic. Approach was notified of a TCASII alert and was told we were climbing to avoid traffic. When we got on the ground, ground control gave us a number to call approach control and the captain was told they were filing an altitude deviation on us for climbing on TCASII instructions. I do not understand the reason for the violation as we were following procedure. There needs to be a clear cut procedure defined by the FAA in these cases as I'm sure its not the first time this has happened and it will not be the last, even by myself.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG ACR CREW MADE AN ALTDEV IN RESPONSE TO TCASII. NO TFC WAS SEEN VISUALLY OR ON RADAR. THE FAA IS INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT.

Narrative: ON THE FINAL ENRTE PHASE TO SMF FROM SAN, WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA AT AN ALT OF 11000 FT IN CRUISE. THE TFC SHOWED UP AT ABOUT 5 MI N OF OUR LOCATION AND SHOWED 300 FT BELOW. AT ABOUT 3 MI N WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA. THE TCASII RESOLUTION SHOWED THAT WE SHOULD CLB AT ABOUT 1200 FPM TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION. I CLBED AT ABOUT 1300 FPM TO ABOUT 11700 FT UNTIL WE WERE A COUPLE OF MI PAST THE TFC, THEN DSNDED TO 11000 FT. APCH SAID THEY DID NOT HAVE TFC IN THAT AREA. WE NEVER LOCATED THE TFC THAT TCASII SHOWED AS WE WERE APPROX 10 MI S OF SAC VOR ON THE STAR WHEN THE TCASII NOTIFIED US OF THE TFC. APCH WAS NOTIFIED OF A TCASII ALERT AND WAS TOLD WE WERE CLBING TO AVOID TFC. WHEN WE GOT ON THE GND, GND CTL GAVE US A NUMBER TO CALL APCH CTL AND THE CAPT WAS TOLD THEY WERE FILING AN ALTDEV ON US FOR CLBING ON TCASII INSTRUCTIONS. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR THE VIOLATION AS WE WERE FOLLOWING PROC. THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLR CUT PROC DEFINED BY THE FAA IN THESE CASES AS I'M SURE ITS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND IT WILL NOT BE THE LAST, EVEN BY MYSELF.

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.