Narrative:

We were a regularly scheduled airline trip from burlington, vt, to chicago, il (ord). Aircraft was B737-300 with TCASII and FMS. WX was VFR at airport with an overcast deck 5000-8000 ft MSL. Takeoff clearance was runway 15 included turn right to 190 degree heading climb to 10000 ft. After takeoff departure control gave us (X) turn right direct watertown VOR (ATR). While IMC passing 8000 ft burlington departure control told us 'descend to 7000 ft.' just then our TCASII displayed another aircraft (Y) to our right but very close (within 4 mi). Our rate of climb (2000 FPM) took us through 8000 ft to approximately 8300 ft. The copilot (PNF) acknowledge the descent instruction but asked if instructions were still valid since we were above 8000 ft. We then got a TCASII paint of intruding aircraft (Y) and a TA. At 8200 ft we broke out on top of clouds in VMC (visibility 20 mi). We never saw the other aircraft. Departure said yes, they wanted us back down to 7000 ft. We descended into clouds to 7000 ft after verifying TCASII displayed separation increasing. I (PF) obtained a phone number and name to contact to discuss events. After landing contact with burlington departure control supervisor verified events. He said the controller had been forthcoming and a review of the tape, showed vertical separation of 500 ft and 1.72 mi horizontal. The controller who worked the event was off the scope and that this was a 'flight event.' problem: controller lost track of other aircraft. Altimeter encoding created a lag on his radar. He neglected not having kept us above 8000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B733 FLC INITIATES EVASIVE MANEUVER REACTING TO A TCASII RA AS BTV CTLR INSISTS THAT B733 FLC DSND AGAIN INTO CONFLICT WITH TCASII RA ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE A REGULARLY SCHEDULED AIRLINE TRIP FROM BURLINGTON, VT, TO CHICAGO, IL (ORD). ACFT WAS B737-300 WITH TCASII AND FMS. WX WAS VFR AT ARPT WITH AN OVCST DECK 5000-8000 FT MSL. TKOF CLRNC WAS RWY 15 INCLUDED TURN R TO 190 DEG HDG CLB TO 10000 FT. AFTER TKOF DEP CTL GAVE US (X) TURN R DIRECT WATERTOWN VOR (ATR). WHILE IMC PASSING 8000 FT BURLINGTON DEP CTL TOLD US 'DSND TO 7000 FT.' JUST THEN OUR TCASII DISPLAYED ANOTHER ACFT (Y) TO OUR R BUT VERY CLOSE (WITHIN 4 MI). OUR RATE OF CLB (2000 FPM) TOOK US THROUGH 8000 FT TO APPROX 8300 FT. THE COPLT (PNF) ACKNOWLEDGE THE DSCNT INSTRUCTION BUT ASKED IF INSTRUCTIONS WERE STILL VALID SINCE WE WERE ABOVE 8000 FT. WE THEN GOT A TCASII PAINT OF INTRUDING ACFT (Y) AND A TA. AT 8200 FT WE BROKE OUT ON TOP OF CLOUDS IN VMC (VISIBILITY 20 MI). WE NEVER SAW THE OTHER ACFT. DEP SAID YES, THEY WANTED US BACK DOWN TO 7000 FT. WE DSNDED INTO CLOUDS TO 7000 FT AFTER VERIFYING TCASII DISPLAYED SEPARATION INCREASING. I (PF) OBTAINED A PHONE NUMBER AND NAME TO CONTACT TO DISCUSS EVENTS. AFTER LNDG CONTACT WITH BURLINGTON DEP CTL SUPVR VERIFIED EVENTS. HE SAID THE CTLR HAD BEEN FORTHCOMING AND A REVIEW OF THE TAPE, SHOWED VERT SEPARATION OF 500 FT AND 1.72 MI HORIZ. THE CTLR WHO WORKED THE EVENT WAS OFF THE SCOPE AND THAT THIS WAS A 'FLT EVENT.' PROB: CTLR LOST TRACK OF OTHER ACFT. ALTIMETER ENCODING CREATED A LAG ON HIS RADAR. HE NEGLECTED NOT HAVING KEPT US ABOVE 8000 FT.

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.