A DC9-10 flight crew performs an evasive action climb when their TCASII RA commands same. Later found that the TCASII RA was a false alarm, an EMI issue.

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Attributes
ACN	415142
Time
Date	199809
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bae airport : mke
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mke
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 10
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	415142
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : undershoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

During descent into mke we got a TCASII TA for traffic at 11 O'clock, 2 mi, -100 ft. This almost immediately became an RA to climb. While I disconnected the autoplt and complied with the RA, the first officer (PNF) called ATC about the traffic. ATC (mke approach) said that the traffic was at 3000 ft and I certainly did not see any traffic near us. I asked the lead flight attendant to do a portable electronic device walk and inform me on the ground of the results. The rest of the approach was normal. On the ground, the lead flight attendant came up and reported that a lady sitting in xx had just gotten a call on her pager and had to remove the batteries to deactivate it. I made an 'information only' writeup and filed a report. This was my sixth pager portable electronic device interference incident in 9 months -- the first which caused a false RA. I urge the FAA to add pagers to the list of specifically banned portable electronic devices and to change the in-flight cabin PA announcement to reflect this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-10 FLC PERFORMS AN EVASIVE ACTION CLB WHEN THEIR TCASII RA COMMANDS SAME. LATER FOUND THAT THE TCASII RA WAS A FALSE ALARM, AN EMI ISSUE.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT INTO MKE WE GOT A TCASII TA FOR TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK, 2 MI, -100 FT. THIS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BECAME AN RA TO CLB. WHILE I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND COMPLIED WITH THE RA, THE FO (PNF) CALLED ATC ABOUT THE TFC. ATC (MKE APCH) SAID THAT THE TFC WAS AT 3000 FT AND I CERTAINLY DID NOT SEE ANY TFC NEAR US. I ASKED THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT TO DO A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE WALK AND INFORM ME ON THE GND OF THE RESULTS. THE REST OF THE APCH WAS NORMAL. ON THE GND, THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT CAME UP AND RPTED THAT A LADY SITTING IN XX HAD JUST GOTTEN A CALL ON HER PAGER AND HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERIES TO DEACTIVATE IT. I MADE AN 'INFO ONLY' WRITEUP AND FILED A REPORT. THIS WAS MY SIXTH PAGER PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE INTERFERENCE INCIDENT IN 9 MONTHS -- THE FIRST WHICH CAUSED A FALSE RA. I URGE THE FAA TO ADD PAGERS TO THE LIST OF SPECIFICALLY BANNED PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND TO CHANGE THE INFLT CABIN PA ANNOUNCEMENT TO REFLECT THIS.

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.