Narrative:

We were on radar vectors at 8000 ft on 300 degree heading. ATC reclred us to 10000 ft on a 360 degree heading. My first officer was flying and began a slow turn to 360 degrees and a slow climb. I noticed another aircraft (Y) at our 10 O'clock position on TCASII approximately 2 1/2 NM at our altitude and closing. As I was inquiring of the traffic (Y), we got a TA. As the traffic (Y) got closer, it also appeared to climb. I took control from the first officer and turned more aggressively away from the traffic and back down to 8000 ft (we were getting an RA by that time telling us to descend). The traffic (Y) climbed above and behind us. I think it passed 800 ft above and about 1/2 mi behind. Difficult to tell -- I was busy trying to avoid. I told the controller we were responding to an RA and descending. Right after that, the controller told us to expedite a climb to 10000 ft. We saw another aircraft (Z) on TCASII approaching from the right. We started an expeditious climb and only got a TA on that one. Closest approach was about 1 mi horizontal and 1500 ft vertical. During this scenario, the controller was issuing instructions rapidly to several aircraft, including ours. I don't know if he was actively controling the other aircraft Z (I believe it was a beech baron), but he seemed to be aware of its presence. The controller seemed to have gotten himself boxed in a corner when aircraft didn't respond as quickly as he had hoped (my first officer was new and a little slow), and suddenly all heck broke loose.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTSS EVENT RESULTS IN TCASII RA AND EVASIVE ACTION FOR ACR.

Narrative: WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS AT 8000 FT ON 300 DEG HDG. ATC RECLRED US TO 10000 FT ON A 360 DEG HDG. MY FO WAS FLYING AND BEGAN A SLOW TURN TO 360 DEGS AND A SLOW CLB. I NOTICED ANOTHER ACFT (Y) AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS ON TCASII APPROX 2 1/2 NM AT OUR ALT AND CLOSING. AS I WAS INQUIRING OF THE TFC (Y), WE GOT A TA. AS THE TFC (Y) GOT CLOSER, IT ALSO APPEARED TO CLB. I TOOK CTL FROM THE FO AND TURNED MORE AGGRESSIVELY AWAY FROM THE TFC AND BACK DOWN TO 8000 FT (WE WERE GETTING AN RA BY THAT TIME TELLING US TO DSND). THE TFC (Y) CLBED ABOVE AND BEHIND US. I THINK IT PASSED 800 FT ABOVE AND ABOUT 1/2 MI BEHIND. DIFFICULT TO TELL -- I WAS BUSY TRYING TO AVOID. I TOLD THE CTLR WE WERE RESPONDING TO AN RA AND DSNDING. RIGHT AFTER THAT, THE CTLR TOLD US TO EXPEDITE A CLB TO 10000 FT. WE SAW ANOTHER ACFT (Z) ON TCASII APCHING FROM THE R. WE STARTED AN EXPEDITIOUS CLB AND ONLY GOT A TA ON THAT ONE. CLOSEST APCH WAS ABOUT 1 MI HORIZ AND 1500 FT VERT. DURING THIS SCENARIO, THE CTLR WAS ISSUING INSTRUCTIONS RAPIDLY TO SEVERAL ACFT, INCLUDING OURS. I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS ACTIVELY CTLING THE OTHER ACFT Z (I BELIEVE IT WAS A BEECH BARON), BUT HE SEEMED TO BE AWARE OF ITS PRESENCE. THE CTLR SEEMED TO HAVE GOTTEN HIMSELF BOXED IN A CORNER WHEN ACFT DIDN'T RESPOND AS QUICKLY AS HE HAD HOPED (MY FO WAS NEW AND A LITTLE SLOW), AND SUDDENLY ALL HECK BROKE LOOSE.

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.