Rptrs received TCASII RA climb while at FL350 on a DC9 at FL330. Reporter alleges loss of separation...

Attributes
ACN	386637
Time
Date	199711
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iiu
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
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
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	386637
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

In cruise FL350. As controller is giving us a new frequency TCASII calls 'traffic, traffic.' at the 2.5 mi ring is a yellow circle 500 ft below us. Next TCASII calls 'climb, climb' and instructs a 700 FPM climb. We comply and climb to FL358. Target is red and showing 800 ft below us. TCASII calls monitor vertical speed. We advise controller, he gives us frequency again. We call the next frequency and advise controller what we did. She says she was watching us on the screen, and in a 'panicked' voice, tells us she only saw FL350 on us and FL330 on the air carrier DC9. We ask what she now shows as both altitudes. As we watch the TCASII showing increase in separation, she tells us 2000 ft separation. We never saw the DC9. We then went back to FL350 and continued on with no further incidences. I truly feel that she had less than 2000 ft separation on both of us. I suspect the DC9 also had a TCASII resolution because the altitude difference changed rapidly. This is my first TCASII resolution at cruise altitude and was a complete surprise to occur then.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTRS RECEIVED TCASII RA CLB WHILE AT FL350 ON A DC9 AT FL330. RPTR ALLEGES LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH THE DC9.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FL350. AS CTLR IS GIVING US A NEW FREQ TCASII CALLS 'TFC, TFC.' AT THE 2.5 MI RING IS A YELLOW CIRCLE 500 FT BELOW US. NEXT TCASII CALLS 'CLB, CLB' AND INSTRUCTS A 700 FPM CLB. WE COMPLY AND CLB TO FL358. TARGET IS RED AND SHOWING 800 FT BELOW US. TCASII CALLS MONITOR VERT SPD. WE ADVISE CTLR, HE GIVES US FREQ AGAIN. WE CALL THE NEXT FREQ AND ADVISE CTLR WHAT WE DID. SHE SAYS SHE WAS WATCHING US ON THE SCREEN, AND IN A 'PANICKED' VOICE, TELLS US SHE ONLY SAW FL350 ON US AND FL330 ON THE ACR DC9. WE ASK WHAT SHE NOW SHOWS AS BOTH ALTS. AS WE WATCH THE TCASII SHOWING INCREASE IN SEPARATION, SHE TELLS US 2000 FT SEPARATION. WE NEVER SAW THE DC9. WE THEN WENT BACK TO FL350 AND CONTINUED ON WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENCES. I TRULY FEEL THAT SHE HAD LESS THAN 2000 FT SEPARATION ON BOTH OF US. I SUSPECT THE DC9 ALSO HAD A TCASII RESOLUTION BECAUSE THE ALT DIFFERENCE CHANGED RAPIDLY. THIS IS MY FIRST TCASII RESOLUTION AT CRUISE ALT AND WAS A COMPLETE SURPRISE TO OCCUR THEN.

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.

Rptrs received TCASII RA climb while at FL350 on a DC9 at FL330. Reporter alleges loss of separation with the DC9.