An air carrier large transport climbed in response to a TCASII command.

Attributes
ACN	223957
Time
Date	199210
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tay
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 34000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	223957
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	223961
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

TCASII gave immediate 'climb, climb, climb.' target was just right of aircraft nose on display screen. TCASII displayed immediate climb. Captain disconnected autoplt and started an immediate climb. Target remained at approximately same position showing -400 to -500 ft below throughout climb. Notified ATC of climb. They reported no traffic and no conflict with our climb to 34000 ft. Target disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Believe false warning but do not know the cause. Supplemental information from acn 223961: with the high rate of climb of the false TA/RA, I don't believe a civilian aircraft could climb that fast under most normal conditions. A similar event happened a few days earlier. We did not have an RA, but all other indications were the same and we were in the same approximately area. This may have something to do with military activity in the area. Either ground based or in the air. Supplemental information from acn 224227: no previous experience with such false warning. ATC reported no known traffic in our vicinity.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT CLBED IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII COMMAND.

Narrative: TCASII GAVE IMMEDIATE 'CLB, CLB, CLB.' TARGET WAS JUST R OF ACFT NOSE ON DISPLAY SCREEN. TCASII DISPLAYED IMMEDIATE CLB. CAPT DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND STARTED AN IMMEDIATE CLB. TARGET REMAINED AT APPROX SAME POS SHOWING -400 TO -500 FT BELOW THROUGHOUT CLB. NOTIFIED ATC OF CLB. THEY RPTED NO TFC AND NO CONFLICT WITH OUR CLB TO 34000 FT. TARGET DISAPPEARED AS QUICKLY AS IT APPEARED. BELIEVE FALSE WARNING BUT DO NOT KNOW THE CAUSE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 223961: WITH THE HIGH RATE OF CLB OF THE FALSE TA/RA, I DON'T BELIEVE A CIVILIAN ACFT COULD CLB THAT FAST UNDER MOST NORMAL CONDITIONS. A SIMILAR EVENT HAPPENED A FEW DAYS EARLIER. WE DID NOT HAVE AN RA, BUT ALL OTHER INDICATIONS WERE THE SAME AND WE WERE IN THE SAME APPROX AREA. THIS MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH MIL ACTIVITY IN THE AREA. EITHER GND BASED OR IN THE AIR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 224227: NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH SUCH FALSE WARNING. ATC RPTED NO KNOWN TFC IN OUR VICINITY.

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.