A widebody transport had an incident on climb out of ont. TCASII did not work as advertised.

Attributes
ACN	221309
Time
Date	199209
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ont
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	221309
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 6500
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Widebody transport climbing eastbound into bright sunlight, had just been given a vector direct thermal VOR climbing to 14000 ft MSL. Visibility was excellent except for sunlight -- on that heading. ATC advised as widebody transport approached to 10000 ft in the climb -- 'traffic at your 12 O'clock if you need to turn it's okay.' initial crew reaction. Both pilots sweeping visually ahead. PNF noted traffic symbol on TCASII and directed 'turn right now.' as the aircraft turned TCASII made initial advisory 'traffic- traffic.' PNF noted TCASII readout on unseen traffic '1-200 ft' below and well within 2 mi range ring, estimated 1/2 mi or less. TCASII then commanded 'monitor vertical speed' with a red arc descent range (ie, 'do not descend') as though there had been a RA -- but there hadn't. We question why ATC didn't call out the high altitude (10000 ft) conflicting traffic and we question the effectiveness of the TCASII in failing to provide a RA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A WDB HAD AN INCIDENT ON CLB OUT OF ONT. TCASII DID NOT WORK AS ADVERTISED.

Narrative: WDB CLBING EBOUND INTO BRIGHT SUNLIGHT, HAD JUST BEEN GIVEN A VECTOR DIRECT THERMAL VOR CLBING TO 14000 FT MSL. VISIBILITY WAS EXCELLENT EXCEPT FOR SUNLIGHT -- ON THAT HDG. ATC ADVISED AS WDB APCHED TO 10000 FT IN THE CLB -- 'TFC AT YOUR 12 O'CLOCK IF YOU NEED TO TURN IT'S OKAY.' INITIAL CREW REACTION. BOTH PLTS SWEEPING VISUALLY AHEAD. PNF NOTED TFC SYMBOL ON TCASII AND DIRECTED 'TURN R NOW.' AS THE ACFT TURNED TCASII MADE INITIAL ADVISORY 'TFC- TFC.' PNF NOTED TCASII READOUT ON UNSEEN TFC '1-200 FT' BELOW AND WELL WITHIN 2 MI RANGE RING, ESTIMATED 1/2 MI OR LESS. TCASII THEN COMMANDED 'MONITOR VERT SPD' WITH A RED ARC DSCNT RANGE (IE, 'DO NOT DSND') AS THOUGH THERE HAD BEEN A RA -- BUT THERE HADN'T. WE QUESTION WHY ATC DIDN'T CALL OUT THE HIGH ALT (10000 FT) CONFLICTING TFC AND WE QUESTION THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TCASII IN FAILING TO PROVIDE A RA.

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.