Air carrier X TCASII RA with parachute jump aircraft. Evasive action taken.

Attributes
ACN	275646
Time
Date	199406
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : btg
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute airway : pdx
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	275646
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier Y en route from oak to pdx on the moxee 3 arrival . We had complied with the wylee restr of 10000 ft and 250 KTS, switched to approach frequency, and were cleared to maintain 7000 ft. WX conditions at the time were clear with a slightly broken cloud deck below (top estimated at 4000 ft). As we approached level-off (approximately 7500 ft) we received a TA on TCASII below and in front of us, unable to acquire a visual on the traffic. As our aircraft leveled at 7000 ft the traffic changed to an RA ('monitor vertical speed'). Level flight was complying with TCASII pitch commands. Very soon, with the red square positioned near the aircraft nose and showing minus 200 ft, the RA changed to 'climb.' we complied. At 7400 ft we had 'clear of conflict' and returned to our assigned altitude. Advising and querying the controller, she said she was aware of the traffic and had called it out to us. The frequency was very tied-up at the time. Neither of us had heard this call. She advised us that there was parachute jumping in progress. Someone on frequency commented on the close proximity of (presumably us) to the jumpers. We couldn't determine who made this comment. ATC then gave us a westerly vector to put us in the flow for runway 28L.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII RA WITH PARACHUTE JUMP ACFT. EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN.

Narrative: ACR Y ENRTE FROM OAK TO PDX ON THE MOXEE 3 ARR . WE HAD COMPLIED WITH THE WYLEE RESTR OF 10000 FT AND 250 KTS, SWITCHED TO APCH FREQ, AND WERE CLRED TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT. WX CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE CLR WITH A SLIGHTLY BROKEN CLOUD DECK BELOW (TOP ESTIMATED AT 4000 FT). AS WE APCHED LEVEL-OFF (APPROX 7500 FT) WE RECEIVED A TA ON TCASII BELOW AND IN FRONT OF US, UNABLE TO ACQUIRE A VISUAL ON THE TFC. AS OUR ACFT LEVELED AT 7000 FT THE TFC CHANGED TO AN RA ('MONITOR VERT SPD'). LEVEL FLT WAS COMPLYING WITH TCASII PITCH COMMANDS. VERY SOON, WITH THE RED SQUARE POSITIONED NEAR THE ACFT NOSE AND SHOWING MINUS 200 FT, THE RA CHANGED TO 'CLB.' WE COMPLIED. AT 7400 FT WE HAD 'CLR OF CONFLICT' AND RETURNED TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT. ADVISING AND QUERYING THE CTLR, SHE SAID SHE WAS AWARE OF THE TFC AND HAD CALLED IT OUT TO US. THE FREQ WAS VERY TIED-UP AT THE TIME. NEITHER OF US HAD HEARD THIS CALL. SHE ADVISED US THAT THERE WAS PARACHUTE JUMPING IN PROGRESS. SOMEONE ON FREQ COMMENTED ON THE CLOSE PROX OF (PRESUMABLY US) TO THE JUMPERS. WE COULDN'T DETERMINE WHO MADE THIS COMMENT. ATC THEN GAVE US A WESTERLY VECTOR TO PUT US IN THE FLOW FOR RWY 28L.

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.