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

Attributes
ACN	240357
Time
Date	199304
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mje
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 32000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : rjtg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : pacific enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 14000
ASRS Report	240357
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At FL310 abeam mje, proceeding direct to temar, we received a TCASII RA to climb. Tokyo control advised us earlier that there was traffic at 33000 ft ahead. We hesitated to climb our aircraft because of the reported FL330 traffic. The TCASII continued an RA to climb. We were IFR and could not see the TCASII traffic or ATC traffic. We therefore initiated a climb to an intermediate altitude, i.e., FL320. We called tokyo control during this confusing situation and they said to maintain FL310. At FL315 we received another TCASII RA to descend. A descent was then initiated back towards FL310. Tokyo control inquired if we had deviated from FL310 and we said yes, because of a TCASII RA to climb. We asked if there was any traffic below us and tokyo said not that they knew of. We then broke out of the clouds and could see our FL330 traffic. No further actions or comments taken by tokyo center. The cause of this incident was either a false TCASII advisory to climb or uncontrolled traffic below in our vicinity.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CLBED IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII COMMAND IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE.

Narrative: AT FL310 ABEAM MJE, PROCEEDING DIRECT TO TEMAR, WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA TO CLB. TOKYO CTL ADVISED US EARLIER THAT THERE WAS TFC AT 33000 FT AHEAD. WE HESITATED TO CLB OUR ACFT BECAUSE OF THE RPTED FL330 TFC. THE TCASII CONTINUED AN RA TO CLB. WE WERE IFR AND COULD NOT SEE THE TCASII TFC OR ATC TFC. WE THEREFORE INITIATED A CLB TO AN INTERMEDIATE ALT, I.E., FL320. WE CALLED TOKYO CTL DURING THIS CONFUSING SIT AND THEY SAID TO MAINTAIN FL310. AT FL315 WE RECEIVED ANOTHER TCASII RA TO DSND. A DSCNT WAS THEN INITIATED BACK TOWARDS FL310. TOKYO CTL INQUIRED IF WE HAD DEVIATED FROM FL310 AND WE SAID YES, BECAUSE OF A TCASII RA TO CLB. WE ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY TFC BELOW US AND TOKYO SAID NOT THAT THEY KNEW OF. WE THEN BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND COULD SEE OUR FL330 TFC. NO FURTHER ACTIONS OR COMMENTS TAKEN BY TOKYO CTR. THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS EITHER A FALSE TCASII ADVISORY TO CLB OR UNCTLED TFC BELOW 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.