Narrative:

Approach control gave traffic '12 O'clock, 8 mi, 6000 ft' (we were at 7000 ft). First officer said 'traffic in sight,' I did not see traffic. Approach immediately turned us from 230 degrees to 180 degree heading, 'descend to 3000 ft.' I pulled thrust levers to idle and departed 7000 ft for 3000 ft looking for traffic. At about 6200 ft TCASII RA indicated a maximum rate climb although we were descending at about 2500 FPM. By the time I looked at TCASII, it was in the RA 'descend now monitor V/south' mode. By then we were going through 5200 ft and the light twin was directly over us at 6000 ft. We continued for a visual approach and landing on runway 10. As soon as the first officer and I disagreed on seeing the other aircraft. I should have spoken up and advised approach control. If I had pulled up as TCASII advised immediately, my reaction time would have put us in closer proximity to the other aircraft. My company's procedure is to do just that. My company also has a comprehensive 'crew resource management' program which, rest assured, I thoroughly reviewed the next morning. As far as TCASII, I was very surprised at how quickly events took place -- the visual and aural clues changed very rapidly.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCASII LOGIC. ACR X TCASII RA FROM Y ISSUES RA CLB THEN DSND. POSSIBLE LTSS.

Narrative: APCH CTL GAVE TFC '12 O'CLOCK, 8 MI, 6000 FT' (WE WERE AT 7000 FT). FO SAID 'TFC IN SIGHT,' I DID NOT SEE TFC. APCH IMMEDIATELY TURNED US FROM 230 DEGS TO 180 DEG HDG, 'DSND TO 3000 FT.' I PULLED THRUST LEVERS TO IDLE AND DEPARTED 7000 FT FOR 3000 FT LOOKING FOR TFC. AT ABOUT 6200 FT TCASII RA INDICATED A MAX RATE CLB ALTHOUGH WE WERE DSNDING AT ABOUT 2500 FPM. BY THE TIME I LOOKED AT TCASII, IT WAS IN THE RA 'DSND NOW MONITOR V/S' MODE. BY THEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH 5200 FT AND THE LIGHT TWIN WAS DIRECTLY OVER US AT 6000 FT. WE CONTINUED FOR A VISUAL APCH AND LNDG ON RWY 10. AS SOON AS THE FO AND I DISAGREED ON SEEING THE OTHER ACFT. I SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN UP AND ADVISED APCH CTL. IF I HAD PULLED UP AS TCASII ADVISED IMMEDIATELY, MY REACTION TIME WOULD HAVE PUT US IN CLOSER PROX TO THE OTHER ACFT. MY COMPANY'S PROCEDURE IS TO DO JUST THAT. MY COMPANY ALSO HAS A COMPREHENSIVE 'CREW RESOURCE MGMNT' PROGRAM WHICH, REST ASSURED, I THOROUGHLY REVIEWED THE NEXT MORNING. AS FAR AS TCASII, I WAS VERY SURPRISED AT HOW QUICKLY EVENTS TOOK PLACE -- THE VISUAL AND AURAL CLUES CHANGED VERY RAPIDLY.

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.