B727-200 flight crew follows TCASII RA to avoid near midair collision.

Attributes
ACN	434270
Time
Date	199904
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bdl.vortac
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 16000 msl bound upper : 16800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc
Make Model Name	Merlin IIa/SA-26T
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	434270
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to assigned airspace
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

On leveling at 16000 ft, TCASII advised of TA. At same time, ATC advised of opposite direction traffic, VFR, leveling at 15500 ft (aircraft merlin turboprop). That traffic said they saw us and at same time we received an RA on TCASII. Followed RA warning in climb to 16800 ft, at same time advising ATC. After conflict, returned to 16000 ft and continued flight normally. Side note: while WX VFR above, we were near tops of broken to overcast deck below. I question other aircraft's legal cloud separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727-200 FLC FOLLOWS TCASII RA TO AVOID NMAC.

Narrative: ON LEVELING AT 16000 FT, TCASII ADVISED OF TA. AT SAME TIME, ATC ADVISED OF OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC, VFR, LEVELING AT 15500 FT (ACFT MERLIN TURBOPROP). THAT TFC SAID THEY SAW US AND AT SAME TIME WE RECEIVED AN RA ON TCASII. FOLLOWED RA WARNING IN CLB TO 16800 FT, AT SAME TIME ADVISING ATC. AFTER CONFLICT, RETURNED TO 16000 FT AND CONTINUED FLT NORMALLY. SIDE NOTE: WHILE WX VFR ABOVE, WE WERE NEAR TOPS OF BROKEN TO OVCST DECK BELOW. I QUESTION OTHER ACFT'S LEGAL CLOUD SEPARATION.

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.