A DH8 crew, arriving key west NAS, responded to a TCASII descent RA.

Attributes
ACN	532231
Time
Date	200112
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc tower : whp.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : nqx.tower
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	532231
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
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	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

From miami to key west leg, at 25 NM out, 8000 ft, still had not been handed off to key west navy approach. Contacted miami numerous times to advise but no response. Switched to key west approach who informed us that they were not in contact with center. TA received, made visual with C-9 at 1-2 O'clock position, same altitude. Key west informed us of traffic and gave descent clearance to 1500 ft. Began descent, RA went off commanding descent. C-9 advised of RA as well and leveled off. Approach informed C-9 we had visual and were descending. We should have been descended much earlier to avoid the conflict but miami did not hand us off and was not in communication with key west. We stayed at 8000 ft too long. Should be in better communication between center and approach in handoffs and ground controller just in general. No one was controling us for a while due to a failed handoff and zero communication between control facilities.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DH8 CREW, ARRIVING KEY WEST NAS, RESPONDED TO A TCASII DSCNT RA.

Narrative: FROM MIAMI TO KEY WEST LEG, AT 25 NM OUT, 8000 FT, STILL HAD NOT BEEN HANDED OFF TO KEY WEST NAVY APCH. CONTACTED MIAMI NUMEROUS TIMES TO ADVISE BUT NO RESPONSE. SWITCHED TO KEY WEST APCH WHO INFORMED US THAT THEY WERE NOT IN CONTACT WITH CTR. TA RECEIVED, MADE VISUAL WITH C-9 AT 1-2 O'CLOCK POS, SAME ALT. KEY WEST INFORMED US OF TFC AND GAVE DSCNT CLRNC TO 1500 FT. BEGAN DSCNT, RA WENT OFF COMMANDING DSCNT. C-9 ADVISED OF RA AS WELL AND LEVELED OFF. APCH INFORMED C-9 WE HAD VISUAL AND WERE DSNDING. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DSNDED MUCH EARLIER TO AVOID THE CONFLICT BUT MIAMI DID NOT HAND US OFF AND WAS NOT IN COM WITH KEY WEST. WE STAYED AT 8000 FT TOO LONG. SHOULD BE IN BETTER COM BTWN CTR AND APCH IN HDOFS AND GND CTLR JUST IN GENERAL. NO ONE WAS CTLING US FOR A WHILE DUE TO A FAILED HDOF AND ZERO COM BTWN CTL FACILITIES.

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.