MD80 flight crew responds to TCASII RA to avoid climbing F16.

Attributes
ACN	442500
Time
Date	199907
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35500
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighting Falcon F16
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	442500
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Responded to RA 'climb, climb.' while initiating climb and advising center, RA to 'monitor vertical speed.' climbed to about FL355. Appeared to be an F16 passing opposite direction on the left side of our aircraft. Got the 'clear of traffic' RA, and returned to FL350. Center then picked up traffic leveling at FL330 after observing his high rate of climb. Center advised no problem with our climb. F16 passed well clear. Even if we had not responded to the RA there would not have been a conflict. No emergency declared, no other problem noted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLC RESPONDS TO TCASII RA TO AVOID CLBING F16.

Narrative: RESPONDED TO RA 'CLB, CLB.' WHILE INITIATING CLB AND ADVISING CTR, RA TO 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' CLBED TO ABOUT FL355. APPEARED TO BE AN F16 PASSING OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON THE L SIDE OF OUR ACFT. GOT THE 'CLR OF TFC' RA, AND RETURNED TO FL350. CTR THEN PICKED UP TFC LEVELING AT FL330 AFTER OBSERVING HIS HIGH RATE OF CLB. CTR ADVISED NO PROB WITH OUR CLB. F16 PASSED WELL CLR. EVEN IF WE HAD NOT RESPONDED TO THE RA THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A CONFLICT. NO EMER DECLARED, NO OTHER PROB NOTED.

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.