DC9 crew got a TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	441569
Time
Date	199906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4300 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	441569
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Our aircraft was given a descent from 6000 ft to 5000 ft. Other aircraft was given a climb to 4000 ft. Approach control called the traffic out to us and advised us that he was leveling at 4000 ft. Target appeared on TCASII at our 7 O'clock position. As we began leveling at 5000 ft, TCASII showed target at 1000 ft below us and we received a 'monitor vertical speed' advisory. As the target moved directly under us, TCASII showed it 700 ft below us and issued a 'climb' RA. We executed a climb in accordance with RA. Other aircraft was never acquired visually. Climb was reported to approach control as a response to our TCASII RA. Controller was surprised that we maneuvered, despite the fact that he called the traffic to us. We informed him that compliance with RA's are mandatory even if traffic is in sight. This approach controller seemed to believe that because he called traffic to us, that the close proximity of his vectors was acceptable.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW GOT A TCASII RA.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS GIVEN A DSCNT FROM 6000 FT TO 5000 FT. OTHER ACFT WAS GIVEN A CLB TO 4000 FT. APCH CTL CALLED THE TFC OUT TO US AND ADVISED US THAT HE WAS LEVELING AT 4000 FT. TARGET APPEARED ON TCASII AT OUR 7 O'CLOCK POS. AS WE BEGAN LEVELING AT 5000 FT, TCASII SHOWED TARGET AT 1000 FT BELOW US AND WE RECEIVED A 'MONITOR VERT SPD' ADVISORY. AS THE TARGET MOVED DIRECTLY UNDER US, TCASII SHOWED IT 700 FT BELOW US AND ISSUED A 'CLB' RA. WE EXECUTED A CLB IN ACCORDANCE WITH RA. OTHER ACFT WAS NEVER ACQUIRED VISUALLY. CLB WAS RPTED TO APCH CTL AS A RESPONSE TO OUR TCASII RA. CTLR WAS SURPRISED THAT WE MANEUVERED, DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE CALLED THE TFC TO US. WE INFORMED HIM THAT COMPLIANCE WITH RA'S ARE MANDATORY EVEN IF TFC IS IN SIGHT. THIS APCH CTLR SEEMED TO BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE HE CALLED TFC TO US, THAT THE CLOSE PROX OF HIS VECTORS WAS ACCEPTABLE.

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.