An air carrier crew responded to a TCASII command. This was reported by another aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	243451
Time
Date	199306
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mci
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mci
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	243451
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
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 other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On descent into mkc, approach called air carrier traffic to us and we acknowledged in sight. Approach gave descent clearance, visual reference to air carrier flight. After a min or 2, air carrier said they had an RA on TCASII and initiated a climb. This brought air carrier closer to us than if he had continued descent. No conflict existed. But after I discussed it with other crew member and approach by phone, air carrier either misread the TCASII or reacted to another aircraft in the area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CREW RESPONDED TO A TCASII COMMAND. THIS WAS RPTED BY ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: ON DSCNT INTO MKC, APCH CALLED ACR TFC TO US AND WE ACKNOWLEDGED IN SIGHT. APCH GAVE DSCNT CLRNC, VISUAL REF TO ACR FLT. AFTER A MIN OR 2, ACR SAID THEY HAD AN RA ON TCASII AND INITIATED A CLB. THIS BROUGHT ACR CLOSER TO US THAN IF HE HAD CONTINUED DSCNT. NO CONFLICT EXISTED. BUT AFTER I DISCUSSED IT WITH OTHER CREW MEMBER AND APCH BY PHONE, ACR EITHER MISREAD THE TCASII OR REACTED TO ANOTHER ACFT IN THE AREA.

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.