Altitude deviation excursion. Potential conflict avoided in flight crew response to TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	259514
Time
Date	199312
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw tower : pdx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute airway : dfw
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 10800 flight time type : 3800
ASRS Report	259514
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Just inside the boids 3 arrival we executed a TCASII RA climb vacating 6000 ft MSL, climbed to 6700 ft MSL as a twin small transport was climbing VFR through 5200 ft MSL. During RA climb we visually got him in sight. ZFW prior to handing us off to approach control pointed out the traffic and asked us to let approach control know we were looking for the VFR traffic. But before being able to talk to ATC we executed the TCASII RA climb. We then let ATC know what we were doing and our intentions to descend back to our original altitude of 6000 ft MSL after the conflict was resolved. The VFR traffic apparently never saw us and was at 6000 ft MSL at 2 mi behind our position. TCASII certainly has my vote!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV EXCURSION. POTENTIAL CONFLICT AVOIDED IN FLC RESPONSE TO TCASII RA.

Narrative: JUST INSIDE THE BOIDS 3 ARR WE EXECUTED A TCASII RA CLB VACATING 6000 FT MSL, CLBED TO 6700 FT MSL AS A TWIN SMT WAS CLBING VFR THROUGH 5200 FT MSL. DURING RA CLB WE VISUALLY GOT HIM IN SIGHT. ZFW PRIOR TO HANDING US OFF TO APCH CTL POINTED OUT THE TFC AND ASKED US TO LET APCH CTL KNOW WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE VFR TFC. BUT BEFORE BEING ABLE TO TALK TO ATC WE EXECUTED THE TCASII RA CLB. WE THEN LET ATC KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING AND OUR INTENTIONS TO DSND BACK TO OUR ORIGINAL ALT OF 6000 FT MSL AFTER THE CONFLICT WAS RESOLVED. THE VFR TFC APPARENTLY NEVER SAW US AND WAS AT 6000 FT MSL AT 2 MI BEHIND OUR POS. TCASII CERTAINLY HAS MY VOTE!

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.