False TCASII RA occurs with TCASII maintenance deferred.

Attributes
ACN	236872
Time
Date	199303
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	236872
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The aircraft TCASII system was squawked as giving false TCASII alerts on the #2 system on the inbound flight. I read the release and assumed that either it would be fixed, or the #2 system should not be used, but that #1 system was ok. On takeoff, I used the #1 system. Climbing through FL220 we received an RA alert to descend. We pushed the nose down to start the RA maneuver, then the alert disappeared. Responding to the RA only caused the aircraft to reduce the rate of climb from 3000 FPM climb to 1000 FPM climb. No actual level off or descent occurred. ATC was advised and we were told there was no aircraft on radar within our area. Closer inspection of the maintenance release document showed that the system was deferred inoperative. However, there were no circuit breakers pulled or deferred stickers next to the TCASII switch, as there should have been.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FALSE TCASII RA OCCURS WITH TCASII MAINT DEFERRED.

Narrative: THE ACFT TCASII SYS WAS SQUAWKED AS GIVING FALSE TCASII ALERTS ON THE #2 SYS ON THE INBOUND FLT. I READ THE RELEASE AND ASSUMED THAT EITHER IT WOULD BE FIXED, OR THE #2 SYS SHOULD NOT BE USED, BUT THAT #1 SYS WAS OK. ON TKOF, I USED THE #1 SYS. CLBING THROUGH FL220 WE RECEIVED AN RA ALERT TO DSND. WE PUSHED THE NOSE DOWN TO START THE RA MANEUVER, THEN THE ALERT DISAPPEARED. RESPONDING TO THE RA ONLY CAUSED THE ACFT TO REDUCE THE RATE OF CLB FROM 3000 FPM CLB TO 1000 FPM CLB. NO ACTUAL LEVEL OFF OR DSCNT OCCURRED. ATC WAS ADVISED AND WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO ACFT ON RADAR WITHIN OUR AREA. CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE MAINT RELEASE DOCUMENT SHOWED THAT THE SYS WAS DEFERRED INOP. HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO CIRCUIT BREAKERS PULLED OR DEFERRED STICKERS NEXT TO THE TCASII SWITCH, AS THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

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.