Narrative:

On a flight from ont to pdx we were descending from cruise altitude of FL310 with a pilot's discretion clearance to FL240. Passing FL260 a target appeared on the TCASII at 2 O'clock 6 NM and 1800 ft, shortly followed by an RA command to climb. We were descending at 2500 FPM in performance mode on the flight guidance. I went to the vertical speed mode to climb. Still descending with the aircraft just starting to respond to the vertical speed climb, ZSE asked our altitude. I responded 'FL250 for FL240' while focusing all my attention on our aircraft and watching the target aircraft on the TCASII. I didn't say anything to ZSE at that time about the RA because I was putting all my attention on flying our aircraft and watching the TCASII. ZSE then reclred us to FL260 which I acknowledged then leveled at FL260. The target aircraft passed at 700 ft and 2 NM off our right side. ZSE then cleared us to FL240, then 10000 ft and switched center frequencys. They advised us of a phone number to call for a possible pilot deviation. Upon calling them on the telephone they apparently are saying we were cleared to FL260 before we were at FL250 because an aircraft climbing out had requested FL250. That is not my recollection of the sequence of events. To the best I can recall, we were cleared to FL260 only after passing FL250 and after the RA. Human performance considerations: in the same situation again I would like to respond to the RA even quicker than I did. This was the first one I had gotten at a high altitude, center did not advise us of the traffic as they usually do and I had not heard the target aircraft on center frequency (he was apparently on another frequency). The RA was a complete and unexpected surprise to me and it probably took me a couple of seconds to react to it. The first officer was off center frequency calling the company about several passenger sits. We were about 30 mins late and the first officer was off center frequency longer than normal. Normally both pilots are on center frequency for the descent from the beginning of descent on down. Consequently he wasn't able to assist in center communication or recalling the sequence of events. The entire event was only a few seconds, then it was over. Preventive measures: pilots (me) responding quicker to RA's. Center's calling out traffic which is to passing within 1000 ft at altitude (which they normally do). PNF calling company before the descent starts if at all possible.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 ACFT DURING DSCNT FAILED TO LEVEL AT NEWLY ASSIGNED ALT AND CAME IN CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT WHICH WAS CLBING AND GOT TCASII WARNING. CAPT WAS FLYING AND FO WAS OFF FREQ COM WITH HIS ACR. ATC ISSUED A NEW ALT CLRNC TO RPTR WHO READ IT BACK PROPERLY, BUT FAILED TO LEVEL UNTIL ATC INTERVENED. THOUGH RPTR CAPT SAW TCASII TARGET, HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING TO ATC.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM ONT TO PDX WE WERE DSNDING FROM CRUISE ALT OF FL310 WITH A PLT'S DISCRETION CLRNC TO FL240. PASSING FL260 A TARGET APPEARED ON THE TCASII AT 2 O'CLOCK 6 NM AND 1800 FT, SHORTLY FOLLOWED BY AN RA COMMAND TO CLB. WE WERE DSNDING AT 2500 FPM IN PERFORMANCE MODE ON THE FLT GUIDANCE. I WENT TO THE VERT SPD MODE TO CLB. STILL DSNDING WITH THE ACFT JUST STARTING TO RESPOND TO THE VERT SPD CLB, ZSE ASKED OUR ALT. I RESPONDED 'FL250 FOR FL240' WHILE FOCUSING ALL MY ATTN ON OUR ACFT AND WATCHING THE TARGET ACFT ON THE TCASII. I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING TO ZSE AT THAT TIME ABOUT THE RA BECAUSE I WAS PUTTING ALL MY ATTN ON FLYING OUR ACFT AND WATCHING THE TCASII. ZSE THEN RECLRED US TO FL260 WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED THEN LEVELED AT FL260. THE TARGET ACFT PASSED AT 700 FT AND 2 NM OFF OUR R SIDE. ZSE THEN CLRED US TO FL240, THEN 10000 FT AND SWITCHED CTR FREQS. THEY ADVISED US OF A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL FOR A POSSIBLE PLTDEV. UPON CALLING THEM ON THE TELEPHONE THEY APPARENTLY ARE SAYING WE WERE CLRED TO FL260 BEFORE WE WERE AT FL250 BECAUSE AN ACFT CLBING OUT HAD REQUESTED FL250. THAT IS NOT MY RECOLLECTION OF THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. TO THE BEST I CAN RECALL, WE WERE CLRED TO FL260 ONLY AFTER PASSING FL250 AND AFTER THE RA. HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: IN THE SAME SIT AGAIN I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO THE RA EVEN QUICKER THAN I DID. THIS WAS THE FIRST ONE I HAD GOTTEN AT A HIGH ALT, CTR DID NOT ADVISE US OF THE TFC AS THEY USUALLY DO AND I HAD NOT HEARD THE TARGET ACFT ON CTR FREQ (HE WAS APPARENTLY ON ANOTHER FREQ). THE RA WAS A COMPLETE AND UNEXPECTED SURPRISE TO ME AND IT PROBABLY TOOK ME A COUPLE OF SECONDS TO REACT TO IT. THE FO WAS OFF CTR FREQ CALLING THE COMPANY ABOUT SEVERAL PAX SITS. WE WERE ABOUT 30 MINS LATE AND THE FO WAS OFF CTR FREQ LONGER THAN NORMAL. NORMALLY BOTH PLTS ARE ON CTR FREQ FOR THE DSCNT FROM THE BEGINNING OF DSCNT ON DOWN. CONSEQUENTLY HE WASN'T ABLE TO ASSIST IN CTR COM OR RECALLING THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. THE ENTIRE EVENT WAS ONLY A FEW SECONDS, THEN IT WAS OVER. PREVENTIVE MEASURES: PLTS (ME) RESPONDING QUICKER TO RA'S. CTR'S CALLING OUT TFC WHICH IS TO PASSING WITHIN 1000 FT AT ALT (WHICH THEY NORMALLY DO). PNF CALLING COMPANY BEFORE THE DSCNT STARTS IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.

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.