A B727 crew responded to a TCASII 'climb RA' at 6000 ft descending into gfk.

Attributes
ACN	530948
Time
Date	200111
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gfk.airport
State Reference	ND
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	530948
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While talking to grand forks approach on a vector of 350 degrees at 6000 ft MSL, we saw VFR traffic on TCASII below us climbing towards us. We told ATC of the threat, but they seemed unconcerned. They said they had no contact and did not turn us or climb us. We were #3 for approach and told approach that traffic was 1100 ft below us. Again we received no help from ATC. Next we received a 'traffic, traffic' call from TCASII. At approximately 600 ft below us TCASII gave a 'climb' command indicated a 2000 FPM climb. I advanced power and climbed to 6700 ft when I received a 'monitor vertical speed' call. I leveled out and when clear of traffic, descended to 6000 ft. We informed ATC of all this and ATC said 'ok.' we continued to an uneventful landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CREW RESPONDED TO A TCASII 'CLB RA' AT 6000 FT DSNDING INTO GFK.

Narrative: WHILE TALKING TO GRAND FORKS APCH ON A VECTOR OF 350 DEGS AT 6000 FT MSL, WE SAW VFR TFC ON TCASII BELOW US CLBING TOWARDS US. WE TOLD ATC OF THE THREAT, BUT THEY SEEMED UNCONCERNED. THEY SAID THEY HAD NO CONTACT AND DID NOT TURN US OR CLB US. WE WERE #3 FOR APCH AND TOLD APCH THAT TFC WAS 1100 FT BELOW US. AGAIN WE RECEIVED NO HELP FROM ATC. NEXT WE RECEIVED A 'TFC, TFC' CALL FROM TCASII. AT APPROX 600 FT BELOW US TCASII GAVE A 'CLB' COMMAND INDICATED A 2000 FPM CLB. I ADVANCED PWR AND CLBED TO 6700 FT WHEN I RECEIVED A 'MONITOR VERT SPD' CALL. I LEVELED OUT AND WHEN CLR OF TFC, DSNDED TO 6000 FT. WE INFORMED ATC OF ALL THIS AND ATC SAID 'OK.' WE CONTINUED TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG.

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.