Narrative:

En route to chitose, japan at FL290 while in japan airspace, controller advised us of traffic southeast of our position moving east to west and would be climbing to FL280 allowing a 1000 ft separation. We were IMC in level flight. I saw traffic as reported depicted on the TCASII screen and consistent with what the controller said. I looked at the vsi/RA display onboard and saw the reported traffic as a hollow white triangle climbing. I then looked out the window in same direction to try to get a visual on traffic. Since we were still IMC I looked back at vsi/resolution display and the symbol had turned to solid white diamond (non-threat traffic) still to our southeast position and climbing. About that time the captain disconnected the autoplt, started a climbing turn on an east heading and flew up to approximately FL310. Simultaneously he demanded I call control and notify them of deviation for traffic. I did not see the traffic out the window nor did I see an RA on the display and at no time was an audio command given by the TCASII. Preventive/corrective action: I believe that the captain overreacted. He may not have processed what the controller said and/or understand the onboard TCASII display. I believe the captain should review rvsm airspace, the TCASII system and its symbology/audio functions. I am at a loss as to why he chose to turn into the traffic path of an aircraft he deemed to be a threat.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF DC10 IN RVSM AIRSPACE INITIATES INAPPROPRIATE AVOIDANCE MANEUVER BASED ON TCASII TA. NO RA RECEIVED.

Narrative: ENRTE TO CHITOSE, JAPAN AT FL290 WHILE IN JAPAN AIRSPACE, CTLR ADVISED US OF TFC SE OF OUR POS MOVING E TO W AND WOULD BE CLBING TO FL280 ALLOWING A 1000 FT SEPARATION. WE WERE IMC IN LEVEL FLT. I SAW TFC AS RPTED DEPICTED ON THE TCASII SCREEN AND CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE CTLR SAID. I LOOKED AT THE VSI/RA DISPLAY ONBOARD AND SAW THE RPTED TFC AS A HOLLOW WHITE TRIANGLE CLBING. I THEN LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW IN SAME DIRECTION TO TRY TO GET A VISUAL ON TFC. SINCE WE WERE STILL IMC I LOOKED BACK AT VSI/RESOLUTION DISPLAY AND THE SYMBOL HAD TURNED TO SOLID WHITE DIAMOND (NON-THREAT TFC) STILL TO OUR SE POS AND CLBING. ABOUT THAT TIME THE CAPT DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT, STARTED A CLBING TURN ON AN E HDG AND FLEW UP TO APPROX FL310. SIMULTANEOUSLY HE DEMANDED I CALL CTL AND NOTIFY THEM OF DEV FOR TFC. I DID NOT SEE THE TFC OUT THE WINDOW NOR DID I SEE AN RA ON THE DISPLAY AND AT NO TIME WAS AN AUDIO COMMAND GIVEN BY THE TCASII. PREVENTIVE/CORRECTIVE ACTION: I BELIEVE THAT THE CAPT OVERREACTED. HE MAY NOT HAVE PROCESSED WHAT THE CTLR SAID AND/OR UNDERSTAND THE ONBOARD TCASII DISPLAY. I BELIEVE THE CAPT SHOULD REVIEW RVSM AIRSPACE, THE TCASII SYS AND ITS SYMBOLOGY/AUDIO FUNCTIONS. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO WHY HE CHOSE TO TURN INTO THE TFC PATH OF AN ACFT HE DEEMED TO BE A THREAT.

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.