A B737-200 flight crew and a second aircraft received a TCASII RA message near brickyard VORTAC.

Attributes
ACN	440128
Time
Date	199906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : vhp.vortac
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.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
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 24000 flight time type : 14000
ASRS Report	440128
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

As we passed over brickyard, my first officer (who was the PF on this leg) made a turn and proceeded direct to falmouth VORTAC, which was also on our route of flight. I was just about to ask my first officer if we had been cleared on course when ZID told us to make an immediate left turn of 20 degrees. While we were still in the turn we got a TCASII TA then an RA to 'climb.' before we could start the climb it changed to 'monitor vertical speed.' about this time, another air carrier reported that they were complying with a TCASII RA. I still don't know why the incident occurred. When I questioned my first officer, he said that the controller had cleared him direct to brickyard VORTAC then direct to falmouth VORTAC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-200 FLC AND A SECOND ACFT RECEIVED A TCASII RA MESSAGE NEAR BRICKYARD VORTAC.

Narrative: AS WE PASSED OVER BRICKYARD, MY FO (WHO WAS THE PF ON THIS LEG) MADE A TURN AND PROCEEDED DIRECT TO FALMOUTH VORTAC, WHICH WAS ALSO ON OUR RTE OF FLT. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO ASK MY FO IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED ON COURSE WHEN ZID TOLD US TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE L TURN OF 20 DEGS. WHILE WE WERE STILL IN THE TURN WE GOT A TCASII TA THEN AN RA TO 'CLB.' BEFORE WE COULD START THE CLB IT CHANGED TO 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' ABOUT THIS TIME, ANOTHER ACR RPTED THAT THEY WERE COMPLYING WITH A TCASII RA. I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. WHEN I QUESTIONED MY FO, HE SAID THAT THE CTLR HAD CLRED HIM DIRECT TO BRICKYARD VORTAC THEN DIRECT TO FALMOUTH VORTAC.

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.