Flight crew of an medium large transport descended from assigned altitude in response to a TCASII RA...

Attributes
ACN	280227
Time
Date	199408
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tri
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27400 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
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	descent 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 : 230 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	280227
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	280556
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Error

Narrative:

In cruise at FL280 going direct to flm. Talking to atl ZTL on frequency 132.97. We received TCASII information of an aircraft descending through our altitude and receive a 'TA' followed by an 'RA' so I descended to follow it while telling the first officer to advise ATC of our RA, which he did. I descended approximately 500- 600 ft before we had a visual on an aircraft who was cleared to 240. After visual we advised ATC and they vectored us to 360 degree heading and we complied. After we had a 'cleared of conflict' we immediately climbed back to FL280.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG DSNDED FROM ASSIGNED ALT IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA.

Narrative: IN CRUISE AT FL280 GOING DIRECT TO FLM. TALKING TO ATL ZTL ON FREQ 132.97. WE RECEIVED TCASII INFO OF AN ACFT DSNDING THROUGH OUR ALT AND RECEIVE A 'TA' FOLLOWED BY AN 'RA' SO I DSNDED TO FOLLOW IT WHILE TELLING THE FO TO ADVISE ATC OF OUR RA, WHICH HE DID. I DSNDED APPROX 500- 600 FT BEFORE WE HAD A VISUAL ON AN ACFT WHO WAS CLRED TO 240. AFTER VISUAL WE ADVISED ATC AND THEY VECTORED US TO 360 DEG HDG AND WE COMPLIED. AFTER WE HAD A 'CLRED OF CONFLICT' WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO FL280.

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.