Flight crew of an medium large transport air carrier aircraft climbed above assigned altitude in response to a TCASII RA resulting in loss of legal separation between another aircraft assigned 1000 ft above going in the opposite direction.

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Attributes
ACN	267234
Time
Date	199403
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	267234
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 : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	unspecified : 12000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from bos to phl at FL200 we received a TA on TCASII. We noticed an aircraft climbing 2600 ft below us. We eventually received an RA on TCASII instructing us to climb. We followed TCASII instructions. After advising ATC of our climb, we were instructed by ATC to descend immediately. Air carrier Y airline was cruising at FL210 opposite direction and our deviation was taking us directly into their path. Air carrier Y was told to climb immediately. We descended back to FL200. On our deviation we got as high as FL205. I believe TCASII was at fault here for having us climb directly into the air carrier Y flight. ATC reported our TCASII being erroneous. I feel it was properly responding to the lower aircraft, but it failed to consider the aircraft 1000 ft above.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT CLBED ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA RESULTING IN LOSS OF LEGAL SEPARATION BTWN ANOTHER ACFT ASSIGNED 1000 FT ABOVE GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM BOS TO PHL AT FL200 WE RECEIVED A TA ON TCASII. WE NOTICED AN ACFT CLBING 2600 FT BELOW US. WE EVENTUALLY RECEIVED AN RA ON TCASII INSTRUCTING US TO CLB. WE FOLLOWED TCASII INSTRUCTIONS. AFTER ADVISING ATC OF OUR CLB, WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY ATC TO DSND IMMEDIATELY. ACR Y AIRLINE WAS CRUISING AT FL210 OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND OUR DEV WAS TAKING US DIRECTLY INTO THEIR PATH. ACR Y WAS TOLD TO CLB IMMEDIATELY. WE DSNDED BACK TO FL200. ON OUR DEV WE GOT AS HIGH AS FL205. I BELIEVE TCASII WAS AT FAULT HERE FOR HAVING US CLB DIRECTLY INTO THE ACR Y FLT. ATC RPTED OUR TCASII BEING ERRONEOUS. I FEEL IT WAS PROPERLY RESPONDING TO THE LOWER ACFT, BUT IT FAILED TO CONSIDER THE ACFT 1000 FT ABOVE.

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.