B737 flight crew has RA during departure.

Attributes
ACN	556388
Time
Date	200208
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19300 msl bound upper : 19700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : swann 3
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	556388
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	556206
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Departure runway 28 for radar vectors to intercept the departure with numerous vectors and steep climbs. We were handed off to center at 17000 ft. Center cleared us to FL230. I read back our flight number and FL230. The first officer and I repeated FL230 as I set it in the altitude window on the incp. Passing through FL193, we received a TCASII RA. We complied with the TCASII advisory, stopping the climb and beginning a descent. The top of climb was approximately FL197. As we were complying with the TCASII RA, center asked us if we were climbing to FL230. I said 'negative, we are complying with an RA, we are stopping our climb.' I visually picked up the RA aircraft passing directly over the top of us. After we were clear of conflict, I questioned the center controller as to our clearance to FL230. He stated that the altitude was for another aircraft. That we were to maintain FL200. Shortly thereafter, we were cleared to FL220. Prior to switching to center, a different controller apologized for the confusion. The remainder of the flight was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC HAS RA DURING DEP.

Narrative: DEP RWY 28 FOR RADAR VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE DEP WITH NUMEROUS VECTORS AND STEEP CLBS. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO CTR AT 17000 FT. CTR CLRED US TO FL230. I READ BACK OUR FLT NUMBER AND FL230. THE FO AND I REPEATED FL230 AS I SET IT IN THE ALT WINDOW ON THE INCP. PASSING THROUGH FL193, WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA. WE COMPLIED WITH THE TCASII ADVISORY, STOPPING THE CLB AND BEGINNING A DSCNT. THE TOP OF CLB WAS APPROX FL197. AS WE WERE COMPLYING WITH THE TCASII RA, CTR ASKED US IF WE WERE CLBING TO FL230. I SAID 'NEGATIVE, WE ARE COMPLYING WITH AN RA, WE ARE STOPPING OUR CLB.' I VISUALLY PICKED UP THE RA ACFT PASSING DIRECTLY OVER THE TOP OF US. AFTER WE WERE CLR OF CONFLICT, I QUESTIONED THE CTR CTLR AS TO OUR CLRNC TO FL230. HE STATED THAT THE ALT WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT. THAT WE WERE TO MAINTAIN FL200. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE WERE CLRED TO FL220. PRIOR TO SWITCHING TO CTR, A DIFFERENT CTLR APOLOGIZED FOR THE CONFUSION. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.