A cpr flight crew in an light transport delays their TCASII reaction when they are confused by information from the controller and the first officer that conflicts with the RA. A second RA causes the captain to correctly follow its guidance and avoid an near midair collision.

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Attributes
ACN	373953
Time
Date	199707
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : avp
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 11900 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	373953
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Cruising at 12000 ft, center advised VFR traffic off the left side, 5 mi, 11500 ft. We acquired on TCASII and proceeded to scan for visual contact. TCASII gave us RA to descend. This seemed to contradict the previous information. I (PF) disengaged the autoplt in preparation for descent when pilot in right seat exclaimed 'no, he is below us.' I hesitated while we acquired him visually. All this time I am in shallow bank to right, away from target. About the time we visually acquired target, it was apparent he was now in a climb. TCASII alerted us to 'increase descent.' I initiated a descent while PNF advised ATC. Cleared traffic at 11200 ft and initiated climb back to 12000 ft when traffic all clear. PNF asked ATC about traffic that was previously issued and comment was 'oh yeah, he was climbing.' all of this information along with conflicting callouts (TCASII descent and PNF calling traffic below) led to confusion in cockpit. I had to conservatively (CRM) not descend when PNF called out his evaluation. All very confusing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR FLC IN AN LTT DELAYS THEIR TCASII REACTION WHEN THEY ARE CONFUSED BY INFO FROM THE CTLR AND THE FO THAT CONFLICTS WITH THE RA. A SECOND RA CAUSES THE CAPT TO CORRECTLY FOLLOW ITS GUIDANCE AND AVOID AN NMAC.

Narrative: CRUISING AT 12000 FT, CTR ADVISED VFR TFC OFF THE L SIDE, 5 MI, 11500 FT. WE ACQUIRED ON TCASII AND PROCEEDED TO SCAN FOR VISUAL CONTACT. TCASII GAVE US RA TO DSND. THIS SEEMED TO CONTRADICT THE PREVIOUS INFO. I (PF) DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT IN PREPARATION FOR DSCNT WHEN PLT IN R SEAT EXCLAIMED 'NO, HE IS BELOW US.' I HESITATED WHILE WE ACQUIRED HIM VISUALLY. ALL THIS TIME I AM IN SHALLOW BANK TO R, AWAY FROM TARGET. ABOUT THE TIME WE VISUALLY ACQUIRED TARGET, IT WAS APPARENT HE WAS NOW IN A CLB. TCASII ALERTED US TO 'INCREASE DSCNT.' I INITIATED A DSCNT WHILE PNF ADVISED ATC. CLRED TFC AT 11200 FT AND INITIATED CLB BACK TO 12000 FT WHEN TFC ALL CLR. PNF ASKED ATC ABOUT TFC THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY ISSUED AND COMMENT WAS 'OH YEAH, HE WAS CLBING.' ALL OF THIS INFO ALONG WITH CONFLICTING CALLOUTS (TCASII DSCNT AND PNF CALLING TFC BELOW) LED TO CONFUSION IN COCKPIT. I HAD TO CONSERVATIVELY (CRM) NOT DSND WHEN PNF CALLED OUT HIS EVALUATION. ALL VERY CONFUSING.

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.