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TCASII assists flight crew in avoiding near midair collision.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 434279 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199904 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : vhp.vor |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 24700 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.artcc tower : dfw.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival star : tarne |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 5110 flight time type : 593 |
| ASRS Report | 434279 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 9700 |
| ASRS Report | 434561 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned airspace |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 9000 vertical : 700 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
While flying the tarne arrival into cincinnati in IMC, our aircraft received clearance to descend to FL240. At approximately 30 mi west of the vhp VORTAC, I observed a traffic conflict on the TCASII 1000 ft below us as we descended through FL250. I stopped the descent at approximately FL247 in response to the TCASII TA. Almost simultaneously, ZID requested that we remain at FL250. The controller used the words, 'confirm you are leveling at FL250,' perhaps thinking he had originally cleared us to that altitude. In retrospect, this controller may have been overtaxed by the volume of traffic he was handling, as evidenced by an extremely congested radio frequency. The TCASII saved us and one other aircraft that day. It should be a mandatory piece of equipment for all aircraft flying in today's highly saturated airspace. Human error, whether pilot or controller, is a fact of life that cannot be completely eliminated. The TCASII was the last link in the safety chain that day, and I am glad it was there.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: TCASII ASSISTS FLC IN AVOIDING NMAC.
Narrative: WHILE FLYING THE TARNE ARR INTO CINCINNATI IN IMC, OUR ACFT RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND TO FL240. AT APPROX 30 MI W OF THE VHP VORTAC, I OBSERVED A TFC CONFLICT ON THE TCASII 1000 FT BELOW US AS WE DSNDED THROUGH FL250. I STOPPED THE DSCNT AT APPROX FL247 IN RESPONSE TO THE TCASII TA. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY, ZID REQUESTED THAT WE REMAIN AT FL250. THE CTLR USED THE WORDS, 'CONFIRM YOU ARE LEVELING AT FL250,' PERHAPS THINKING HE HAD ORIGINALLY CLRED US TO THAT ALT. IN RETROSPECT, THIS CTLR MAY HAVE BEEN OVERTAXED BY THE VOLUME OF TFC HE WAS HANDLING, AS EVIDENCED BY AN EXTREMELY CONGESTED RADIO FREQ. THE TCASII SAVED US AND ONE OTHER ACFT THAT DAY. IT SHOULD BE A MANDATORY PIECE OF EQUIP FOR ALL ACFT FLYING IN TODAY'S HIGHLY SATURATED AIRSPACE. HUMAN ERROR, WHETHER PLT OR CTLR, IS A FACT OF LIFE THAT CANNOT BE COMPLETELY ELIMINATED. THE TCASII WAS THE LAST LINK IN THE SAFETY CHAIN THAT DAY, AND I AM GLAD IT WAS THERE.
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.