Flight crew of an medium large transport air carrier aircraft descended from assigned cruise altitude in response to a TCASII RA.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	249725
Time
Date	199308
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sgf
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27500 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc tower : sbkp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	249725
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
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 flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At cruise flight at FL280 on radar vectors to tulsa, we received a TA followed seconds later by an RA on TCASII and immediately followed it as per company procedure. I immediately informed the surprised controller of our descent. By the time he understood we had descended to 27500 ft, we had already started a climb back to FL280. The other aircraft was at FL290, in cruise flight, opposite direction. Our TCASII showed the intruder 700 ft above us and descending and within about 4-5 mi. Shortly after the RA, we acquired the aircraft visually and he was not a conflict. This is the first RA I have had in the positive control area and the controller was obviously surprised and concerned that we descended without notifying him, even though our company procedures leave us no other option if the traffic is not in sight. Apparently, there was other traffic below us at the time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT DSNDED FROM ASSIGNED CRUISE ALT IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA.

Narrative: AT CRUISE FLT AT FL280 ON RADAR VECTORS TO TULSA, WE RECEIVED A TA FOLLOWED SECONDS LATER BY AN RA ON TCASII AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED IT AS PER COMPANY PROC. I IMMEDIATELY INFORMED THE SURPRISED CTLR OF OUR DSCNT. BY THE TIME HE UNDERSTOOD WE HAD DSNDED TO 27500 FT, WE HAD ALREADY STARTED A CLB BACK TO FL280. THE OTHER ACFT WAS AT FL290, IN CRUISE FLT, OPPOSITE DIRECTION. OUR TCASII SHOWED THE INTRUDER 700 FT ABOVE US AND DSNDING AND WITHIN ABOUT 4-5 MI. SHORTLY AFTER THE RA, WE ACQUIRED THE ACFT VISUALLY AND HE WAS NOT A CONFLICT. THIS IS THE FIRST RA I HAVE HAD IN THE PCA AND THE CTLR WAS OBVIOUSLY SURPRISED AND CONCERNED THAT WE DSNDED WITHOUT NOTIFYING HIM, EVEN THOUGH OUR COMPANY PROCS LEAVE US NO OTHER OPTION IF THE TFC IS NOT IN SIGHT. APPARENTLY, THERE WAS OTHER TFC BELOW US AT THE TIME.

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.