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Air carrier medium large transport reacts to phantom RA and descends without clearance. ARTCC controller unhappy with TCASII says it is flawed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 260602 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199401 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ord |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17500 msl bound upper : 19000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau tower : lga |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zau |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 260602 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
Included form says it all. Another phantom RA. I report this because it seems that only good TCASII stories get told. I've experienced or witnessed more bad than good. I think TCASII is potentially fatal. I don't just say this as a controller afraid of change or loss of power either. I'm a 26 yr old former computer science major and I can see the inherent flaws. Air carrier jet reported on frequency climbing out of FL190, I assigned higher. Pilot replied with altitude and reported they'd had an RA to descend at about 17500. I checked with the low controller, who showed no primaries, VFR's, or any type of target. From all indications, this was a phantom RA. This is the second time I've had a phantom RA in less than a yr. Both have occurred at this sector and both have been air carrier flts. One was level flight with no traffic and now this one climbing with no traffic. TCASII continues to have flaws that until now have been benign. I seriously believe TCASII will cause deaths someday -- either midair or terrain.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR MLG REACTS TO PHANTOM RA AND DSNDS WITHOUT CLRNC. ARTCC CTLR UNHAPPY WITH TCASII SAYS IT IS FLAWED.
Narrative: INCLUDED FORM SAYS IT ALL. ANOTHER PHANTOM RA. I RPT THIS BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT ONLY GOOD TCASII STORIES GET TOLD. I'VE EXPERIENCED OR WITNESSED MORE BAD THAN GOOD. I THINK TCASII IS POTENTIALLY FATAL. I DON'T JUST SAY THIS AS A CTLR AFRAID OF CHANGE OR LOSS OF PWR EITHER. I'M A 26 YR OLD FORMER COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJOR AND I CAN SEE THE INHERENT FLAWS. ACR JET RPTED ON FREQ CLBING OUT OF FL190, I ASSIGNED HIGHER. PLT REPLIED WITH ALT AND RPTED THEY'D HAD AN RA TO DSND AT ABOUT 17500. I CHKED WITH THE LOW CTLR, WHO SHOWED NO PRIMARIES, VFR'S, OR ANY TYPE OF TARGET. FROM ALL INDICATIONS, THIS WAS A PHANTOM RA. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE HAD A PHANTOM RA IN LESS THAN A YR. BOTH HAVE OCCURRED AT THIS SECTOR AND BOTH HAVE BEEN ACR FLTS. ONE WAS LEVEL FLT WITH NO TFC AND NOW THIS ONE CLBING WITH NO TFC. TCASII CONTINUES TO HAVE FLAWS THAT UNTIL NOW HAVE BEEN BENIGN. I SERIOUSLY BELIEVE TCASII WILL CAUSE DEATHS SOMEDAY -- EITHER MIDAIR OR TERRAIN.
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.